Ingredients

• 110g/3½oz butter
• softened
• plus extra for greasing
• 280g/9½oz caster sugar
• 3 free-range eggs
• beaten
• 2–3 drops almond extract
• 110g/3½oz ground almonds
• 40g/1½oz plain flour
• 2 oranges
• rind only
• cut into thin strips
• to decorate
• 50g/1¾oz flaked almonds
• to decorate
• 50g/1¾oz mixed nuts
• to decorate
• crème fraîche
• to serve
• 300ml/10fl oz red wine
• 130g/4½oz caster sugar
• pared rind of 1 unwaxed lemon
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 4 dessert pears

Directions

• Preheat the oven to 160C/140C Fan/Gas 3. Lightly butter and line a 20cm/8in loose-bottomed sandwich tin.
• Beat the butter with a wooden spoon or in a food processor to soften. Add 130g/4½oz sugar gradually
• beating constantly
• until soft and light. Add the eggs and almond extract and beat well. Fold in the ground almonds and flour.
• Tip the cake mixture into the prepared tin and bake for 35 minutes. Test if the cake is cooked by inserting a skewer into the centre; if it comes out clean the cake is ready. Leave the cake to cool in the tin for 10 minutes
• then turn out onto a wire rack.
• Turn the oven temperature up to 200C/180C Fan/Gas 6. Line a baking tray with baking paper.
• Meanwhile
• for the poached pears
• place a large saucepan over a medium heat. Pour in the wine and 300ml/10fl oz water. Stir in the sugar
• lemon rind and cinnamon stick. Bring to the boil and allow to bubble for 1 minute.
• Keeping the stalks on the pears
• peel and remove the eye from the base of each pear. Place the pears in the wine syrup and poach for 30 minutes
• or until tender to the point of a knife.
• To make the cake decoration
• put the orange rind in a saucepan of water over a high heat. Bring to the boil
• change the water and bring back to the boil. Meanwhile
• make a sugar syrup by heating 50g/1¾oz sugar and 100ml/3½fl oz water in a saucepan. Place the rind in the sugar syrup and boil for 20 minutes. Transfer to the prepared baking tray and bake for 15 minutes.
• To make the nut brittle for the cake
• put the remaining 100g/3½oz sugar in a saucepan over a low heat and slowly melt until it caramelises. Stir in the nuts
• then pour the mixture onto baking paper to cool. Chop up into brittle.
• Decorate the cake with the orange strips and nut brittle and serve with the poached pears and crème fraîche.