Recipe for gingerbread pears from Rukmini Iyer

I love ginger, so this recipe includes three kinds: ground, fresh, and stem. Despite this, it is a very light gingerbread. Serve cold for an afternoon snack or hot to finish dinner with heavy heavy cream or crème fraiche.

Serves 8unsalted butter 60g, plus more for dark brown sugar 125g, plus a few extra pinches of fresh ginger 2½cm piece, grated free-range egg 1 milk 100ml self-rising flour 115g ground ginger 1 tbsp. coarsely chopped

Preheat the oven to 160°C convection heat/thermostat 4, and line and butter a 28cm x 22cm roasting or baking dish with non-stick paper or parchment.

Beat the 60g butter and sugar together until smooth, then stir in the fresh ginger, egg and milk. Stir in the flour, ground ginger, ground cardamom and baking powder, and mix briefly until combined. Pour the batter into the lined pan, then arrange the halved pears, cut side up, on top of the cake. Scatter a pinch of dark brown sugar and a few pieces of chopped ginger stalk over each pear, then transfer to the oven and bake for 25-30 minutes, until the cake is puffed and firm to the touch.

Let the cake cool in the mold for 5 minutes before transferring it, with its paper, to a rack to cool a little. Serve the gingerbread warm or at room temperature.

NotesAs it contains fresh fruit, you will need to save any leftover gingerbread. spice in the fridge. Reheat the slices briefly in the oven or microwave before serving.

From The Quick Roasting Tin by Rukmini Iyer (Vintage Publishing, £17.99)