Ingredients
Serves 4-6¼ cup caster sugar
1 cup water
4 pears
½ vanilla bean, seeds scraped
½ cup blanched almonds
1 cup plain flour
½ cup brown sugar
250g butter, cold & cubed
Brandy Anglaise:
300ml full cream milk
200ml pouring cream
½ vanilla bean, seeds scraped
5 egg yolks
½ cup caster sugar
30mL brandy
Method
Preheat oven to 180˚C.
To prepare the pears, start by putting the sugar and water into the frypan and placing over medium heat. Stir occasionally until sugar is dissolved. Meanwhile peel and cut the pears into even sized 2cm pieces. Add the pears and half a vanilla bean (and seeds) to the frypan and bring to a gentle simmer. Allow it to simmer gently until the pears are almost cooked then remove from the heat and tip into an ovenproof dish.
While the pears are cooking, prepare the crumble. Start by toasting the almonds by placing them on a tray in the oven until golden and fragrant (it takes about 8-10 mins). Meanwhile place the flour and sugar into a bowl and mix well. Add half the butter and rub between your fingers until it is incorporated well. Keep adding butter until the mixture becomes moist and will hold in ‘chunks’. Remove the toasted almonds from the oven and chop roughly. Combine with the crumble mixture and sprinkle liberally over the pears.
Bake the pear and almond crumble in the oven until golden brown.
Brandy Anglaise
Combine the milk, cream and vanilla bean in a saucepan and heat until steam is rising from it.
Meanwhile combine the egg yolks and sugar in a bowl and whisk until pale and sugar is dissolved. While whisking, add the milk mixture gradually. Tip back through the sieve into the saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly with a spatula, until the mixture coats the back of the spoon. Remove from the heat and pour into a serving jug.