Preheat the oven to 160°C fan bake.

Combine the pears, blackberries, caster sugar, flour, zest, thyme, cinnamon and salt in a large bowl, then tip into the baking dish. Bake for 20 minutes.

COBBLER: Combine the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, salt, sugar and orange zest in a large bowl. Add the butter and rub into the flour with your fingertips until it resembles small crumbs. Stir the egg and milk together, add to the bowl and mix to a soft dough.

Dollop the dough over the fruit, then scatter over the almonds and sugar. Bake for about 30 minutes, until puffed and golden and the cobbler is cooked.

Mulled Wine Sauce

INGREDIENTS
750ml red wine
½ cup dark muscovado sugar
3 tablespoons redcurrant jelly
2cm piece ginger, roughly chopped
1 star anise
1 cinnamon stick
long strips of zest and juice 1 orange
2 teaspoons cornflour

METHOD
Combine everything except the cornflour in a medium saucepan. Bring to the boil and cook for about 30 minutes, or until reduced to 2½ cups. Mix the cornflour with 1 teaspoon water until smooth, then stir into the sauce. Simmer for 5 minutes, until thickened and glossy. Strain into a bowl, discarding the spices. The sauce will thicken more on cooling and can be made several days ahead and stored in the fridge.