I get asked quite often why I like to cook. The first reason I give is normally because I like to eat. I am Thai and food is a big factor in our culture. We greet each other with hello followed by 'have you eaten? When guests turn up at your house it's safe to assume that they will expect to be fed.

The second reason is that as I grew up in the Northeastern part of Thailand, the poorest region, food was always hard to come by. We weren't hungry as there was always rice, but it was difficult finding something to go with rice. Now I do have ingredients to go with rice, I want to cook!

Sunday 24 January 2016

Poached Pear and Coconut Cake.

Poached Pear and Coconut Cake.



Delicious, moist and extremely easy.

Equipment: 
23cm (square) cake tin greased with butter.

Preparation:

In a large saucepan, put in,
-450g water,
-150g caster sugar,
-1 vanilla pod.
-juice of 1 lemon.
-around 3x250g firm pears, peel and cut into eighths.
Leave to simmer on low heat for around 15 minutes. Put the lid on and leave the pears in the poaching liquid to cool down for 10 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to take out the cooked pears.
This can be done hours ahead.

When you are ready to bake.

Oven 180c fan forced.

Reserve 12 pieces of pears.
Chop the rest of the pears into rough chunks. 

Use an electric mixer to beat,
-225g softened butter,
-225g caster sugar,
-250g self raising flour,
-50g desiccated coconut.
-1tsp baking powder,
-pinch of salt.
-5 eggs.
Beat until thoroughly combined. Stir through 
-chopped pears.
Spoon into the prepared tin. Top with
-reserved pears, press lightly into the cake mixture.
Bake 35-45 minutes, skewer should come out clean.


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