This comforting pudding is sure to become a family favourite, being perfect for a Sunday lunch on a chilly autumnal day. Pears and blackberries are topped with an orange-scented sponge mixture and baked, then the pudding is turned out upside-down to serve, so the luscious fruit is on top.
A, * B12, C, E, calcium, copper, iron
For a quick storecupboard pear pudding, use 6 canned pear halves, canned in natural juice, well drained, in place of fresh pears. * Substitute maple syrup for the golden syrup. * Try an upside-down pineapple and blueberry pudding, replacing the pears and blackberries with 4 canned pineapple rings, canned in natural juice, well drained, and 170 g (6 oz) fresh blueberries. * Make an upside-down ginger and plum pudding. Instead of pears and blackberries, arrange 6 halved plums in the syrup. For the sponge mixture use 85 g (3 oz) each of self-raising white flour and self-raising wholemeal flour. Omit the orange zest and add 1½ tsp ground ginger and 3–4 pieces preserved stem ginger in syrup, finely chopped.
Blackberries are high in fibre and vitamin C. They are also one of the richest fruit sources of vitamin E. * Golden syrup is derived from molasses. It is predominantly made up of the sugars glucose, sucrose and fructose, but because it contains more water and less glucose than table sugar it is not as sweet.
A little too sweet for my taste, but a very pretty pudding overall. Next time, I'll reduce the sugar. - 11 Aug 2008
just made this with my 8 yearold goddaughter and it got rid of some very ripe pears and dried blackberries I had going spare....very very yummy - 31 May 2009
Used different ingredients. Used fresh peaches instead of pears. - 11 Aug 2008