Poached Saffron Pears with Crème Anglaise

Ingredients

• 200g (7oz) caster sugar
• a pinch of saffron
• 4 firm, squat-shaped, pears, such as William
• juice of 1 lemon

For the vanilla crème anglaise

• 300ml (10fl.oz) milk
• 60ml (4 tbsp) double cream
• 2 SuperCook Select Vanilla Pods
• 6 large egg yolks
• 150g (5oz) caster sugar
• a pinch of salt

Method

1. To poach the pears, put the sugar in a saucepan with 500ml (17fl.oz) water, and heat stirring, until dissolved.
2. Bring to the boil and boil rapidly for 1 minute, then remove from the heat. Sprinkle in the saffron and set aside to infuse for 30 minutes.
3. Peel the whole pears using a vegetable peeler, leaving the stem intact. Slice a thin piece off the bottom of each pear to enable it to stand upright, and brush all over with lemon juice to prevent discolouring. Place them in a suitably sized saucepan to enable them to stand snugly side by side. Set aside.
4. Bring the syrup back to the boil and pour over the pears. Cover the pears and simmer gently for about 30 minutes, turning occasionally, until tender. Leave to cool in the syrup whilst preparing the crème anglaise.
5. Pour the milk into a saucepan and add the double cream. Bring to the boil, and remove from the heat. Gently split the Vanilla Pods down the centre, and prise open the sides of the pod. Add the pods to the milk and cream, and leave to infuse for 10 minutes.
6. Meanwhile, whisk the egg yolks, salt and sugar together in a large heatproof bowl until thick, pale and creamy. Pour over the vanilla infused milk and stir gently until well mixed. Place the bowl over a large saucepan of barely simmering water and cook gently, stirring, until the mixture thickens enough to coat the back of a wooden spoon - this will take about 20 minutes. Do not boil otherwise the mixture will curdle and separate. Remove from the heat and cover the surface of the custard with a layer of clear wrap to prevent a skin forming, and allow to cool.
7. Strain the pears from the syrup and set aside. Boil the syrup rapidly for about 15 minutes until thick and syrupy, and cool for 15 minutes. To serve, arrange a pear on each serving plate and spoon over some syrup. Discard the pods from the crème anglaise and serve with the pears.

Serves: 4