**DECEMBER RECIPES 4**

GINGERBREAD PUDS WITH POACHED PEARS & SYRUP

1L (4 cups) water
430g (2 cups) caster sugar
1 strip lemon rind
6 small pears, peeled
Melted butter, to grease
125g unsalted butter, at room temperature
80ml (1/3 cup) golden syrup
2 tbs caster sugar, extra
2 eggs
115g (3/4 cup) plain flour
40g (1/4 cup) self-raising flour
1 tbs ground ginger
1/4 tsp ground cloves
60ml (1/4 cup) milk
Pure icing sugar, to dust
Golden syrup, extra, to serve

Method
Place the water, sugar and lemon rind in a large saucepan over medium heat. Stir until the sugar dissolves. Bring to the boil. Add the pears. Cover and reduce heat to low. Cook for 10-15 minutes or until the pears are just tender. Set aside to cool. Use a slotted spoon to remove the pears from the pan. Pat dry with paper towel.

Preheat oven to 170°C. Brush six 300ml-capacity oven-proof dishes with melted butter to grease. Use an electric beater to beat the butter, golden syrup and extra sugar in a bowl until pale and creamy. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition.

Sift the combined flour, ginger and cloves into a bowl. Alternately add the flour mixture and the milk to the egg mixture, in batches, and stir until combined. Divide among the prepared dishes. Smooth the surfaces. Press a pear into the centre of each dish.

Place the dishes on a large baking tray. Bake for 30-35 minutes or until a skewer inserted into puddings comes out clean. Set aside for 5 minutes to cool slightly.

Dust with icing sugar and drizzle over extra golden syrup to serve.



TREACLE GINGERBREAD

125g butter, chopped
2/3 cup (160ml) treacle
1/3 cup (70g) dark brown sugar
2 cups (300g) self-raising flour
1/2 cup (115g) chopped glace ginger
1 1/2 tbs ground ginger
2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
1/2 tsp ground cloves
2 eggs, lightly whisked
1/2 cup (125ml) buttermilk
Lemon icing
1 cup (150g) pure icing sugar
1 tbs lemon juice

Method
Preheat oven to 160°C. Grease and line the base and sides of a 8x30cm bar pan with baking paper.

Combine the butter, treacle and sugar in a medium saucepan over medium-low heat. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 2-3 minutes or until butter melts and mixture is smooth. Remove from heat and set aside to cool.

Combine the flour, glace ginger, ground ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves in a bowl. Add the eggs, buttermilk and treacle mixture and stir until just combined. Spoon into the prepared pan and smooth the surface.

Bake in preheated oven for 35 minutes or until a skewer inserted in the centre comes out clean. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. To make the lemon icing, sift the icing sugar into a medium bowl. Gradually add enough lemon juice to make a smooth, slightly runny paste. Spread over the cake and put aside to set before serving.

Notes
For serious ginger fans, chop up extra glace ginger


SHORTBREAD

Ingredients
Melted butter, to grease
250g butter, at room temperature
100g (1/2 cup) caster sugar
300g (2 cups) plain flour, sifted
90g (1/2 cup) rice flour, sifted

Method
Preheat oven to 150°C. Brush 2 baking trays with melted butter to grease. Use an electric beater to beat the butter and sugar in a bowl until pale and creamy.

Gradually add the combined flour, beating on low speed until almost combined. Use your hands to bring the dough together in the bowl. Turn onto a lightly floured surface and knead gently until smooth.

Divide the dough into 2 equal portions. Use your hands to shape 1 portion of dough into an 18cm-diameter disc. Transfer to 1 of the prepared trays. Use a flat-bladed knife to smooth the surface. Pinch the edges to create a fluted edge. Use a small sharp knife to score the disc into 8 wedges and use a fork to prick the dough all over. Repeat with the remaining dough to make a second disc.

Bake the shortbread in oven, swapping the trays halfway through cooking, for 40 minutes or until light golden. Set aside on the trays for 10 minutes to cool before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely. Cut into wedges to serve.