Journalist Conor Pope serves up a delicious dessert of Prosecco and Crème de Casis poached pears with lavender & blackberries, Crème Anglaise and a shortbread on Celebrity MasterChef Ireland.
Ingredients
- 2 big pears cored & peeled
- 3 tblsp sugar
- 2 large glasses of prosecco
- 1/2 cup creme de cassis
- bunch of lavender
- crème anglaise:
- 6 free-range
- egg yolks
- 65 g caster sugar
- 2 vanilla pods
- 500ml whole milk
- shortbread:
- 125 g butter
- 55 g caster sugar
- 180 g plain flour
Method
- Peel & core pears but don't remove the stem. In a medium saucepan, pour the prosecco. When it starts to boil, add the sugar & Creme de Cassis. Simmer.
- Add the pears by placing them flat on the saucepan, submerged in the liquid.
- Cook for about 5 minutes then add the fresh lavender leaving some for later.
- Cook until pears are tender.
- Remove the pears when tender and move to one side.
- Add the remaining lavender in the liquid and cook it longer until thick.
- Pour on top of the pears.
- Crème Anglaise: Split vanilla pods lengthwise, seeds scraped out.
- Beat the egg yolks and sugar together in a bowl.
- Bring the milk and cream to boiling point in a saucepan. Add vanilla seeds and pods to the milk and cream.
- Pour the boiling milk and cream over the egg mixture, mix well and return to the pan.
- Cook over a very gentle heat until the mixture thickens, stirring regularly with a wooden spoon. Sieve.
- Shortbread: Heat the oven to 190C. Beat the butter and sugar together until smooth
- Stir in the flour to get a smooth paste. Turn out onto a work surface and roll out to 1cm thick.
- Using a rectangular or circular cutter, cut out the shortbread to desired shape and size.
- Bake in the oven for 15-20 minutes or until pale golden brown in colour.
- Assemble dish.
