Toffee pear and chocolate loaf cake

For the pears

50 g caster sugar

3 firm conference pears

Pared zest 1 orange

2 Tbsp. cocoa powder

For the loaf

150 g unsalted butter, softened, plus extra to grease

175 g plain flour

1 tsp. bicarbonate of soda

40 g cocoa powder

100 g dark brown soft sugar

150 g caster sugar

2 medium eggs

1 tsp. vanilla bean paste

75 g soured cream

For the toffee sauce

100 ml double cream

40 g dark brown soft sugar

15 g unsalted butter

1/2 Tbsp. golden syrup

METHOD

First, poach the pears. Heat the caster sugar and 600ml water in a medium pan over low heat, stirring until sugar dissolves. Peel pears, leaving stems attached, then halve lengthways and core neatly (we used a melon baller). Add pears to the pan along with the orange zest, making sure pears are covered with liquid.

Bring to the boil then simmer for 10min, until pears have started to soften. Remove from liquid and leave to cool. Once cool pat dry with kitchen paper and dust with cocoa powder.

Preheat oven to 180°C (160°C fan) mark 4. Grease and line a 900g loaf tin with baking parchment. Whizz all loaf ingredients in a food processor until smooth. With the motor still running, slowly pour in 100ml freshly boiled water from the kettle, until combined.

Pour 1/3 of the batter into the prepared tin. Cut a small slice off base of pear halves, then join two halves back together and push into the batter, stem up, so that the pears are touching side by side and sitting on the bottom of the tin. Spoon remaining batter around pears and then wrap the stems with foil to stop them burning. Bake for 1hr 10min, or until a skewer inserted into the centre of the sponge comes out clean. Leave to cool completely in the tin.

Meanwhile, make the toffee sauce: heat all ingredients in a pan over gentle heat until melted and smooth. Simmer for 5min; cool.

To serve, transfer cake to a serving plate. Pour over toffee sauce and serve in slices.

Recipe credit: Good Housekeeping