Vegan Sticky Toffee Pear Pudding
Serves 4 - Vegan
Ingredients
For the poached pears
4 firm conference pears
100g muscovado sugar
1 cinnamon stick, 1 star anise, 4 cloves
1 orange zest
1 cm piece of fresh ginger
For the sponge
125g pitted dates
150ml almond milk
100ml coconut oil, melted
1 tsp ground ginger
100g self raising flour
1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
80g muscovado sugar
Peel the pears and cut the bottom off each to give a flat base – cut them to a height that will fit well in your tin. Use a small knife to cut out the pips from the base. Roughly chop the pear scraps, discarding the pips, and set aside. Tip the sugar, cinnamon, star anise, cloves, zests and 400ml water into a saucepan. Bring to the boil, then simmer until the sugar has dissolved. Add the pears, cover with a lid or a piece of baking parchment, and poach gently for 15 mins until a knife easily slides into a pear. Leave to cool in the liquid.
Now make the sponge. Put the dates in a saucepan and add the almond milk. Bring to a gentle simmer, then cook for 2-3 mins until the dates are soft. Pour into a food processor and blitz until smooth. Add the oil and blend again, then scrape into a bowl and set aside to cool a little. Heat oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Grease and line 4 x 10cm round cake tins.
Put the dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl. Mix well, breaking up any lumps of sugar with your fingers.
Add the date and oil mixture, and stir well. Fold in the chopped pear scraps. Separate the cake mixture into the tins, then nestle in the pears, standing straight up, so that the bottom halves are covered.
Bake for 15-20 mins until the sponge is cooked through. Insert a skewer to the centre to check – it should come out clean.
Meanwhile, bring the pear poaching liquid back to the boil and simmer until reduced to a glossy syrup. When the pudding is cooked, cool for 5-10 mins, then brush all over with the syrup, saving a little extra to serve alongside, with vegan ice cream, if you like.