Chocolate pear puddings

Chocolate pear puddings are a good recipe to have up your sleeve when you hadn’t been planning to make dessert, but pester power prevails.

They’re quick to make, use basic store cupboard ingredients, and are definitely more than the sum of their parts.

Other soft fruits work as well – I’ve made these puddings with raspberries and bananas when I was pear-less and they were just as nice.

Chocolate pear puddings
(serves 4)

• 100g self-raising flour (or 100g plain flour plus 1 tsp of baking powder)
• 125g caster sugar
• 2 Tb cocoa powder, divided
• 50g butter, melted and cooled
• 1 egg
• 2 Tb milk
• 1 large ripe pear, diced small
• 50g brown sugar
• boiling water

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Lightly butter four ramekins and arrange on a baking tray.
2. In a mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, caster sugar and 1 Tb of cocoa powder.
3. In a separate bowl, whisk together the melted butter, egg and milk.
4. Fold the dry ingredients into the wet, then fold through the pear.
5. Divide the mixture between the four ramekins.
6. Stir together the brown sugar and remaining tablespoon of cocoa powder. Sprinkle on top of the four puddings.
7. Spoon two tablespoons of boiling water over the top of each ramekin.
8. Bake for about 20 minutes, or until firm.