INGREDIENTS
Caramel
250g caster sugar
125ml water
Vanilla ice cream
250ml cream
250ml milk
1 vanilla pod
100g sugar
2 tablespoons liquid glucose
8 egg yolks
Pear
175g butter, diced and softened
105g caster sugar
4 eggs
160g plain flour, sifted
1 teaspoon baking powder
21⁄2 tablespoons almond meal
3 pears, poached and sliced
Almond praline
150g almonds, toasted
METHOD
Caramel
1. Grease and line the bottom of a 12 cup muffin tray.
2. Place sugar and water in a heavy based saucepan on high heat, Induction setting 7 and bring to the boil and cook until it turns a golden caramel colour.
3. Pour a small amount into each mould, enough to cover the bottom (reserve half the caramel for the praline).
4. Press 4 pear slices into the toffee, or enough to cover the bottom. Set aside to cool.
Praline
1. Line a baking tray with baking paper and spread with nuts, then cover with the rest of the caramel and put aside to set.
2. Once cool, break up the praline and blitz in a food processor to a rough crumb.
Pear cake
1. Pre-heat Steam Combination oven on Cakes Plus at 160°C.
2. Cream the butter and sugar in a food processor until light and creamy. Add the eggs slowly until combined, scraping down the sides when needed. Sift the flour and baking powder into a large bowl and fold in the almond meal. Then gently fold the egg mixture into the dry ingredients until combined.
3. Fill the muffin tins to the top with the cake batter and place in oven on shelf position 2 and bake for 20 minutes,
or until a skewer comes out clean.
4. Let the cakes cool slightly in the muffin tins, then remove by turning the muffin tin upside down.
Vanilla ice cream
1. Place cream, milk and sugar in a solid steam tray and cover with lid. Steam at 100°C for 2 minutes.
2. Remove from Steam Oven and pour over egg yolks and glucose, whisking constantly until combined. Pour back into solid steam tray and steam at 85°C for 10 minutes. Whisk and steam again at 85°C for 15 minutes.
3. Pour immediately into a bowl over an ice bath and stir until cool. Place in freezer for 4 hours.
To serve
1. Place the pear cake in the centre of the plate. Top with a scoop of vanilla ice cream and sprinkle over the praline crumb.