Chocolate and Pear Pudding

I'm sure Mr S's epitaph ought to read "and what's for pudding"?

January is a great time for baking, well after the first week or so, of trying to lessen the strain on the waistband from Christmas eating.

One of the most successful bakes has been a chocolate and pear pudding/cake. I made up a chocolate Madeira type mixture substituting half of the flour for ground almonds, then topping the cake in a large spring form tin with slices of fresh pear. When it came out of the oven, I brushed it liberally with honey, and served a couple of slices warm, with some warmed heavenly chocolate sauce made by Veronica.

This pudding is in my opinion a very close competitor to sticky toffee pudding. It is also excellent cold, with afternoon tea.

I froze several slices and can say that it is really very good warmed up from frozen, with more sauce of course, as an emergency desert...ie when one is really needed and there is nothing made. Some evenings we have fruit, but every few days a real desert is requested!

I have since made ginger sponge topped with fresh pineapple, and a fragipanne type mixture topped with fresh apricots.

All the fruit came from Kenilworth Market, which means fresh, in paper bags, and no plastic bags.