Chocolate pudding with caramelised pears

When you need a delicious chocolate dessert, this is the one, serve with

warm chocolate sauce and cold cream

Serves 6

Caramelised pears

2 tablespoons soft brown sugar

50g butter

3 pears, peeled and sliced

Topping

140g butter, room temperature

140g caster sugar

130g self-raising flour

¼ teaspoon bread soda

1 tablespoon cocoa

2 eggs, beaten

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Set oven 180c gas 4 Butter a shallow baking dish 23cm approx.

Start with the caramelised pears, place the brown sugar and butter in a pan, heat

gently until the sugar melts and the butter browns, then add the sliced pears and

coat with the butter mixture, spoon into the buttered baking dish. Beat the butter

and caster sugar together till light and creamy. Fold in the flour, bread soda, cocoa,

eggs and vanilla. Mix well together. Spoon the mixture over the pears and bake for

for 35/40 minutes or until a skewer inserted in the centre comes out almost clean.

Serve warm with hot chocolate sauce and pouring cream.