HARD PEARS!

No, not a greengrocers insult but the perfect ingredient for Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstalls Pear and Almond Pudding Cake... possibly the most heavenly of food I or everyone who had a piece of the one I baked had ever tasted!

So, move over Lemon Coconut Cake, I have a new love in my life and it doesn't contain lemon nor coconut infact it contains almonds, wholemeal self raising flour and hard pears which are sautéed in a spot of butter and sugar until softened... but lets get to the recipe shall we?

If you ever want to get someone to do something for you, bake them this cake (Pear and Almond Pudding Cake) and they will be putty in your hands.

This was all that was left of my cake by the time I had gotten around to getting the camera out. It's amazingly squidgy and luscious if eaten when warm... or cold for that matter but it might not last long enough to get cold if your friends or family enjoy it as much as mine did!

We have decided to make this again instead of a Christmas Pudding this year as neither of us here are overly fond of the cloying stodginess of fruited Christmas Puddings.

One thing I would point out though is why stop at pears? peaches and nectarines go well with almonds or indeed the everyday eating apple perhaps. Whatever fruit this is made with it's a guaranteed winner every time!

So what are you waiting for? Get in the kitchen and give it a whirl, you won't be sorry!