Poached pears with cranberry shortbread
As we approach the end of the summer, pear season will start in just a few weeks. This is a warming and autumnal pudding from Newlyns Farm Shop.
Ingredients
2 Pears, peeled and cored
250ml red wine
1 vanilla pod, spilt and seeds scraped out
3tbsp caster sugar
Strip of lemon zest
90g flour
60g butter
30g caster sugar
55g dried cranberries
To serve
Vanilla Mascarpone
Method
- Peel the pears and core the bottom part of the core.
- Place the red wine and vanilla pod into a pan.
- Add the pears and top up with water to cover.
- Cook for 30 minutes on a gentle simmer until tender (depends on the firmness of the pears at the beginning).
- Drain off the liquid and reduce down until syrupy.
- Preheat the oven to 160oC degrees.
- For the shortbread put the butter and sugar into a bowl and cream together. Add the flour and with the back of a spoon bring together into dough. As it comes together add the cranberries.
- Knead briefly and roll in cling film into a sausage shape.
- With a sharp knife cut into 1cm slices and place on a baking sheet lined with baking parchment.
- Prick with a fork and chill for 20 minutes.
- Place in the oven and cook for 20 minutes until light golden and no longer grey, will still feel soft though when cooked and will only crispen on cooling.
