(Serves 10-12)

INGREDIENTS

230g (1½ cups) sultanas                            

250ml (1 cup) water                                                

485g (3 cups) roughly chopped, peeled pears     

125ml (½ cup) whisky                                              

1½ tsp baking soda                                                   

190g butter                                                                

240g castor sugar                                                      

2 eggs (lightly beaten)                                              

1½ tsp pure vanilla essence

350g (2¼ cups) flour

1 tbsp baking powder

¾ tsp ground cloves

1½ tsp mixed spice

icing sugar for dusting

1 recipe Whisky Sauce

whipped cream

METHOD

Preheat oven to 180ºC.  Spray a 25cm ring tin.

Place sultanas and water into a saucepan and bring to the boil over a low heat.  Simmer for 3-4 minutes.  Remove from heat and stir in pears, whisky and baking soda.  Cool.

In an electric mixer fitted with a K beater (or paddle), cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy.  Gradually add beaten eggs and vanilla, beating continuously.

Sift together flour, baking powder, cloves and mixed spice.  Spoon half of the dry ingredients and half of the pear mixture over the creamed mix.  Stir gently to combine.  Repeat with remaining dry ingredients and pear mixture.

Spoon mixture into prepared tin and bake for 50-60 minutes or until a cake skewer inserted comes out clean.  Leave cake in tin for 10 minutes before turning out onto a platter.  Serve cake hot, warm or cold, dusted with icing sugar and accompanied by Whisky Sauce and whipped cream.

Whisky Sauce

(Makes 600ml)

INGREDIENTS

150ml milk

150ml cream

½ vanilla bean (split in half lengthways)

4 egg yolks

80g castor sugar

60ml (¼ cup) whisky

METHOD

Put milk, cream and vanilla bean into a heavy based saucepan and bring to the boil.

Whisk egg yolks and castor sugar until pale and thick. 

Pour scalded milk and cream over egg mixture, whisking continuously.

Return custard to the pot and cook (over a gentle heat) until the mixture coats the back of the spoon (do not allow the mixture to boil as it will curdle).

Strain the custard through a fine sieve.  Add whisky and stir to combine.  Chill until required.

Note:  To turn this recipe into ice cream, simply churn in an ice cream machine and freeze

overnight.  This is delicious with the cake also.