RECIPE | The Lazy Makoti's poached pear trifle

Serves: 6 - 8

Poached pears:

1 X 750ml bottle of red wine

500ml (2 cups) water

125ml (½ cup) caster sugar

1 cinnamon stick

2.5ml (½ tsp) nutmeg, freshly grated

6 - 8 fresh pears, depending on size

Trifle:

1 plain vanilla cake or loaf, cut into chunks

750ml (3 cups) store-bought

vanilla custard

1 packet ginger biscuits, crushed

250ml (1 cup) ready-whipped cream

Edible flowers, to decorate

Method:

1. To poach the pears, place the wine, water, caster sugar, cinnamon stick and nutmeg in a large pot. Bring to a simmer over low heat, stirring until sugar dissolves. Leave on very low heat for 15 minutes while you peel the pears, keeping them intact, with stems on.
2. Turn up heat to medium and add pears to the pot. Poach for 30 minutes, until deep red and just tender. Using a slotted spoon, remove from the liquid and set aside to cool.
3. Strain liquid and boil for 15 minutes to reduce volume by half to create a syrup. Cool.
4. Cut cooled pears in half lengthways. Using a teaspoon, remove core and stem of 2 pears, then cut lengthways into thin slices for decoration.
5. In a serving bowl, layer the trifle, starting with cake. Pour half the poaching syrup over the cake, then place pear halves around inside of bowl, cut sides facing outwards. Pour in custard and sprinkle over the crushed biscuits. Spread over cream and refrigerate.
6. Drizzle with remaining poaching syrup and top with slices of the pear and edible flowers.

• Recipe and image from 'The Lazy Makoti's Guide to the Kitchen' (Quivertree), R340.