FRUIT
10g/2tsp butter
10g/2½tsp light brown sugar
1 large pear
2 pods cardamom, cracked open, seeds crushed to a powder
CRUMBLE
30g/3⅔tbsp plain/all-purpose flour
30g/2tbsp butter
15g/4tsp light brown sugar
15g/2tbsp oats
A couple of walnuts, chopped
EQUIPMENT
10cm/4in-wide ramekin or small ovenproof dish
In her inimitable book on fruit, Jane Grigson writes that ‘most people have never eaten a decent pear in their lives’. She’s probably right. I love their taste, but I could count on one hand the times that a pear has been perfectly sweet, yielding, and juicy. Happily, they respond very well to a little heat, and a single pear, unripened in the fruit bowl, makes for a glorious dessert.
Serves 1
1. Preheat the oven to 160C fan/350F/gas 4. Melt the butter in a small saucepan, and add the sugar. Peel the pear, slice through the middle, and scoop out the core. Cut into thick slices. Once the butter and sugar are bubbling, add the cardamom pods, then place the pear in the pan, and cook for a couple of minutes.
2. Remove the pear slices and place in a ramekin. Continue to cook the sugar and butter until thick and sticky. Pour it over the pear.
3. Rub together the flour and butter for the crumble with your fingertips until it resembles breadcrumbs. Mix in the sugar, oats, and walnuts.
4. Dampen your hands with cold water, then squeeze bits of crumble together with your fingertips (to encourage it to clump a little). Tip the crumble over the pears. Transfer to the oven for 25 minutes, until golden brown on top. Serve with vanilla ice cream or custard.