You know that moment on holiday when you’re dining in a hotel restaurant, and you’re served a dish you wish you could recreate when you get back home? Well, the ever-innovative Christina Ong, the ‘CO’ behind COMO hotels, has provided the opportunity to do just that with the launch of COMO Simple, a cookbook of recipes from the exemplary hotel group’s menus.
But here’s the thing, the secret is in the word ‘simple’. The hardest thing about restaurant cookbooks is the complexity of the dishes one is expected to knock up at home.
Here, then, to prove the point, is a recipe from the new book that is not only manageable for the most calamitous of cooks, but the results are just as exquisite as the real thing (I should know; not only have I eaten this at The Halkin in London, but I’ve made it since, and it works a treat). What’s more, we’ve selected this one because the ginger and cinnamon have a certain festive ring to it, and the combination of the pears with the spiced ginger cake – not to mention that caramel sauce – is divine.
So, get that apron on, assemble the bowls, utensils, pans…and get cooking. You’ll be surprised and delighted when this turns out.
Ginger Cake with Pears and Caramel Sauce
This cake combines syrupy sweetness with the spicy notes of ginger and cinnamon. It’s perfect for afternoon tea orr dessert, soft and moist, it can be served alongside various fruits – often, our menus match it with pineapple, and at COMO Shambala Estate in Bali our chefs have even served it with jackfruit. This recipe has wonderfully scented poached pears, which, once cooked, can be kept for five days in the fridge. Caramel sauce adds a splash of indulgence and the cake also goes well with homemade vanilla ice cream (also in the book).
Ingredients:
Ginger Cake
340g/12oz golden syrup
185g/6½oz caster sugar
200ml/¾cup vegetable oil
275g/9¾oz plain flour
½ tsp ground cinnamon
¼ tsp ground cloves
Pinch of ground white pepper
2½ tsp bicarbonate of soda
100g/3½oz fresh ginger, peeled and finely grated
2 eggs
To make the cake, preheat the oven to 180C/350F and line the base and sides of a 22cm/8½” cake tin with two layers of baking paper. Combine the golden syrup, sugar and oil in a bowl, mix well and set aside. In a separate bowl, mix together the flour, ground cinnamon, cloves and white pepper, then set aside.
Bring 250ml/1cup water to the boil in a pan, remove from the heat, add the bicarbonate of soda then stir in the syrup-sugar mixture. Stir gently until well combined, then stir in the ginger. Gradually whisk in the sifted flour mixture, then add the eggs one at a time, mixing until well combined.
Pour the batter into the prepared tin and bake for 40-45 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into the middle comes out clean. Leave to stand in the tin for 10 minutes before turning out onto a wire rack to cool.
Poached Pears
250g/9oz caster sugar
1 cinnamon stick
1 orange, zested
1 bay leaf
4 firm pears, peeled, sliced in half, cores removed so they can lie flat
To make the poached pears, place the sugar into a pan of 1¼ cups water and heat until the sugar has dissolved. Add the cinnamon stick, orange zest, bay leaf and pears to the water. Keep the water at a very gentle simmer and cook until the pears can be easily pierced through with a knife, about 20 minutes. Let the pears cool in the water.
Caramel Sauce
200g/7oz granulated sugar
6 tbsp unsalted butter, cut into chunks
125ml/½ cup double cream
1 tsp vanilla extract
Pinch sea salt
For the caramel sauce, place the sugar and 60ml/¼ cup water into a heavy-bottomed pan, stirring so the sugar sits in a flat, even layer. Warm over a medium heat and cook until the sugar dissolves, the water starts to turn clear and starts to bubble, about 3-4 minutes. Do not stir again, simply allow to bubble and occasionally swirl the pan or brush down the sides to prevent crystallisation. The sugar will form clumps, but continue swirling and cooking until the mixture thickens and turns into a deep honey colour, about 8-12 minutes; be careful not to let it burn. Add the butter and whisk until it is completely melted; be careful, as the butter can cause the caramel to bubble up, so continue whisking. Remove from the heat and slowly pour in the cream, whisking continuously until all of it has been incorporated, then whisk in the vanilla and salt. Set aside and allow to cool completely.
To serve, place the poached pears over the cake, then pour over the caramel sauce.
Heaven on a plate.
COMO Simple costs is published by Marshall Cavendish Cuisine. It is available to purchase from Amazon.
