Treacle Pear Sponge with Oat Crumble

Ingredients

• ripe pears, peeled and sliced3 medium
• golden syrup3 tbsp
• plain flour120 g
• rolled oats60 g
• soft brown sugar80 g
• butter, softened85 g
• egg2
• baking powder1 tsp
• milk80 ml
• ground cinnamon1 tsp

Method

1. 1Heat the oven to 180°C and grease a small baking dish.
2. 2Toss the pears with 1 tablespoon of the golden syrup and arrange them in the dish.
3. 3Mix the flour, oats, brown sugar, cinnamon, baking powder, 60 g of the butter, and a pinch of salt until crumbly; set aside.
4. 4Beat the remaining butter with the eggs, remaining golden syrup, and milk until smooth, then fold in the dry ingredients to make a thick batter.
5. 5Spoon the batter over the pears and sprinkle the oat crumble evenly over the top.
6. 6Bake for 30 to 35 minutes until risen, golden, and a skewer comes out mostly clean.
7. 7Rest for 10 minutes before serving so the syrupy fruit settles under the crust.

Tips

• Use pears that are ripe but still hold their shape; overly soft fruit can disappear into the sponge.
• A short rest after baking helps the treacle juices thicken slightly.

Nutrition