Pear, Chocolate and Croissant Cakes
Photography Claire Aldous.
Warm pears, melting chocolate and buttery croissants make these small versions of a classic bread and butter pudding perfect for a chilly winter weekend morning or afternoon tea. Serve with a dollop of softly whipped cream if total indulgence is called for.
INGREDIENTS
7 medium, firm but ripe pears (I used Beurre Bosc)
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons caster sugar
3 eggs
1 cup milk
1 cup cream
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
⅓ cup caster sugar
7 croissants
100 grams dark chocolate, roughly chopped
¼ cup finely chopped, roasted hazelnuts
a 12 hole, ½ cup-capacity muffin tin, greased and holes lined with baking paper. Bring the paper above the sides of the tin to contain the liquids.
METHOD
Preheat the oven to 170˚C.
Halve the pears and scoop out the cores with a teaspoon. Cut each half into ½ cm thick slices. Melt the butter and sugar in a large sauté pan and cook the pears in batches until just tender but not falling apart, transferring them to a plate as they are cooked.
Whisk the eggs, milk, cream, vanilla, cinnamon and sugar in a large jug.
Cut each croissant into 1 cm thick slices.
Sandwich 4 slices of croissant with 3 slices of pear, sprinkling each layer with a little chocolate and hazelnuts. If needed, gently squeeze together to fit them into the paper cases.
Carefully pour some of the custard over the top of each cake then add more as it soaks into the croissant.
Bake for 15–20 minutes until puffed and golden and the custard is set in the centre.
Cool in the tins for a minimum of 30 minutes. The cakes are delicious served just warm or at room temperature on the day of making. Makes 12
Keep up to date with
dish weekly recipes,
food news, and events.
Related Content
latest issue:
Issue 128
This winter issue of dish is about comfort and connection. Celebrating the best of New Zealand and Australian produce, it brings together recipes from some of our most-loved chefs, including Moroccan Chicken Soup, Mint-glazed Roasted Leg of Lamb, Slow Cooker Braised Red Wine and Miso White Chocolate Cheesecake. Find plenty to carry you through the colder months, from flaky sausage rolls and mushroom pie, to soul-soothing pasta, nostalgic baking, weekend market inspiration and dinner party menus. There’s a spotlight on the Outstanding Food Producer Awards, recipes from Caroline Griffiths’ Midnight Spaghetti, and a deep dive into the difference between Kiwi syrah and Aussie shiraz.