Brioche and Pear Toads in the Hole

Cook Time 20 minutes

Servings 6

Ingredients

6 round brioche buns

200g ricotta 

3 tbsp icing sugar

Zest ½ orange  

1 egg

1 tsp vanilla bean paste

3 Beurre bosc pears, peeled and cored  

Apricot jam, to glaze 

1 punnet blueberries

¾ caster sugar

1 tsp vanilla extract

Chopped pistachios, to garnish

Method

Place the sugar, 1.5L of water and vanilla into a small pot. Bring to the boil and then add the pears. Cook for 4-5 minutes and then let the pears cool down in the sugar syrup.

Preheat the oven to 180°C.

Mix together ricotta, icing sugar, orange zest, vanilla bean paste and the egg.

Cut the brioche rolls in half and then use a round cookie cutter (about 8cm wide but this will depend on the size of your rolls) to cut out a hole in the top of the roll. Generously spread the ricotta mixture on each base and sandwich the top with the hole.

Cut the pointy end of the poached pears off and the cut in half. Place each half, and cut side down into the hole. Place them on a baking tray and bake in the oven for 15-20 minutes. 

Remove and while still hot, glaze with jam. Serve with optional fresh berries and a sprinkle of pistachios.