Maple Cinnamon Pear Tarte Tatin with Fudge Sauce

If you have a look at my pantry, you'll find that it's practically bursting with all sorts of food - junk food, canned food, packets of dried noodles, instant noodles, pasta of every shape and size, grains, lots of snacks and juice poppers for school recess... G reckons that we're well stocked in the event of any food rationing. Oh yes, not to mention the refrigerator which is also full of bottles and jars of sauces, amongst other things (like the many blocks of butter that I stock when they go on sale). G has been pushing me to start using these things that are "clogging up" our pantry, but I told him that if I did use them up, I would probably just go buy more, just in case I needed them again.

Bulgogi Beef

Bulgogi (meaning "fire meat" in Korean, referring to the method of cooking the meat over an open flame as in bbq) is a popular Korean barbecue beef dish that is simple and easy to prepare. It comprises thin slices of beef with scallions and sesame seeds, and a delicious sweet-tasting sauce which goes perfectly with steamed white rice. Here is the recipe for the bulgogi that I made for tonight's dinner. The sweetness in the sauce is enhanced by the sake (Japanese rice wine), which makes this dish taste so good!

Pear and Raspberry Cake

This is based on a recipe for Dutch Apple Cake by Rachel Allen, and I have made the apple version a number of times before. It's a light sponge-like cake embedded with a generous amount of sliced apples, and so delicious with whipped cream. The pear and raspberry version of it is just as good, its flavours accentuated with some freshly grated orange rind. The pear has a mildly sweet flavour that is complemented by the tartness of the raspberries. And of course, it goes really well with freshly whipped cream. This is definitely a family favourite that will please even the littlest ones!

Dutch Pear and Raspberry Cake

Adapted from Rachel Allen

Ingredients

• 2 eggs
• 175g (6oz) caster sugar, plus 15g (1/2oz) extra sugar, for sprinkling
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• 90g (3oz) butter
• 75ml (2 ½ fl oz) milk
• 125g (4 ½ oz) plain flour
• Finely grated rind of one orange
• 2 ¼ tsp baking powder
• 2 small pears
• 100g frozen/fresh raspberries
• 150ml thickened cream, softly whipped, to serve

Method

Preheat the oven to 200ºC (400ºF). Line the sides and base of the cake tin (20 x 20cm (8 x 8in) square cake tin) with parchment paper.

Using an electric whisk, whisk the eggs, 175g (6oz) caster sugar and vanilla extract in a large bowl until the mixture is thick and mousse-like and the whisk leaves a figure of eight pattern (this will take about 5 minutes).

Melt the butter in a saucepan with the milk, then pour onto the eggs, whisking all the time. Sift in the flour and baking powder and fold gently and carefully into the batter so that there are no lumps of flour. Don't overmix the batter. Fold in the orange rind. Pour the mixture into the prepared tin and smooth the surface.

Peel and core the pears and cut into thin slices, then arrange them over the batter. They will sink to the bottom (this is meant to happen!). Scatter raspberries on top. Sprinkle with the remaining sugar and quickly put in the oven to bake for 10 minutes. Reduce the oven temperature to 180ºC (350ºF), bake for a further 20–25 minutes or until well risen and golden brown.

Allow to cool in the tin, cut into squares and serve warm with softly whipped cream.