Poached Pear, Cinnamon & Ginger Cake with Chenin Blanc

By @cookingwithandrianna

The delightful Jason’s Hill Chenin Blanc serves as the perfect base for this exquisite dessert. With its notes of white peaches and dried fruits, the wine enhances the pears, creating a sublime pairing with the warm spices of cinnamon and ginger in this cake. Serve this masterpiece with custard or a scoop of vanilla gelato, and you’ll have a dessert that will impress your friends and family with its complex flavours and the irresistible texture of poached pears.

Poached Pear Recipe:

  • 3 or 4 firm pears (depending on the size of your cake tin), peeled and cored (keep the stems intact)
  • 2 cups Jason’s Hill Chenin Blanc 2020
  • 1 cup black tea
  • ½ cup castor sugar
  • 6 cardamom pods
  • 2 cinnamon sticks
  • 1 tsp grated ginger
  • 10 cloves

Poaching Method:

  • Combine the wine, tea, sugar, and spices in a medium-sized pot.
  • Bring the mixture to a boil over medium heat, then reduce the heat slightly to let it simmer.
  • Add the pears to the pot and simmer them in the liquid until they are tender but still have a bit of resistance when pierced with a knife. The pears should not be too soft as they will continue to cook in the oven. I poached mine for 10 minutes, and they turned out perfect.
  • Once the pears are ready, remove them from the pot and set them aside until needed.

Cinnamon & Ginger Cake Recipe:

  • 2 & ½ cups cake flour
  • 2 tsp cinnamon
  • 1 tsp ground cloves
  • ½ tsp salt
  • 1 & ½ tsp baking soda
  • 115g unsalted butter, at room temperature
  • 1 cup brown sugar
  • 1 egg
  • ½ cup molasses
  • 1 tsp grated ginger
  • ¾ cup black tea

Cake Method:

  • Preheat your oven to 180°C (fan oven setting).
  • In a bowl, whisk together the flour, cinnamon, cloves, salt, and baking soda, then set aside.
  • Using an electric mixer, cream the butter and brown sugar together until the mixture is light and fluffy.
  • Add the molasses and grated ginger, mixing well.
  • Add the egg and mix until fully incorporated.
  • Gradually alternate between adding the dry ingredients and the black tea to the mixture, blending until everything is well combined.
  • Pour the batter into a greased loaf tin.
  • Place the poached pears upright into the batter, with the stems facing upwards, ensuring they are positioned in the center of the loaf tin and are touching each other so that every slice will contain a piece of pear.
  • Bake for 50 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into the cake comes out clean.