Pear and Almond Loaf

Almond Loaf:

• 125g unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 150g CSR Caster Sugar
• 2 large eggs, at room temperature
• 160g sour cream, at room temperature
• 100g White Wings Premium Plain Flour, sifted
• 100g White Wings Premium Self Raising Flour, sifted
• 80g almond meal double cream, to serve

Poached Pears:

• 6 beurre bosc pears, with stems intact
• Juice of 1 lemon
• 400g CSR Caster Sugar
• 1 vanilla pod, split in two

1. Peel one pear at a time and sprinkle with lemon juice as you go to avoid browning. Place the sugar and 1.5 litres of water in a large saucepan over medium heat and simmer for 5 minutes, or until the sugar has dissolved. Add the pears and the vanilla pod halves. Cover the pears with a circle of baking paper roughly the size of your pan, with a small circle cut out of the centre, and simmer for 15–20 minutes, or until tender. Turn occasionally to ensure even cooking. Set aside to cool in the liquid.
2. Preheat the oven to 160°C. Butter a 22 cm x 11 cm x 7 cm loaf tin and line the bottom and sides with baking paper so it extends over the sides of the tin.
3. Using a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter and sugar until smooth. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add the sour cream and beat until combined. Fold in the sifted flours and almond meal.
4. Pour the batter into the prepared tin. Strain the pears, then arrange three of them in a straight line down the centre, with a 3 cm gap between each. Gently push the pears to the bottom of the tin.
5. Bake for 50 minutes, checking at the 20-minute mark to straighten any pears that may have tilted. Allow the loaf to cool completely in the tin, then carefully remove it by lifting the baking paper and placing it on your serving plate, peeling off the paper. Serve with double cream. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for 2–3 days.

Tip:

You can use the leftover pears for a second dessert served with ice cream, or for breakfast with muesli and Greek yoghurt. You can poach the pears the day before and store them in their syrup until you’re ready to bake.