Pear parfait, liquorice and pear sorbet, by Madalene Bonvini-Hamel

ingredients
(Serves 12)

For the pear parfait sponge base 5 whole eggs
100g caster sugar
80g plain flour, sifted

For the pear parfait 125g caster sugar
25ml cold water
2tbs Poire William liqueur
6 large egg yolks
500ml double cream
200g good quality pear purée

For the liquorice and pear sorbet 500g good quality pear purée
160ml cold water
160g caster sugar
Juice of one lemon
30g glucose
40ml liquorice concentrate

For the liquorice jelly 200ml water
65g caster sugar
50ml liquorice concentrate
2g agar
2 leaves of gelatine, soaked

For the poached pears 6 pears
500ml water
500g caster sugar
2 liquorice roots, slightly crushed
1 cinnamon stick
2 star anise
2 lemons

Method
For the pear parfait sponge base, preheat the oven to 180°C. Whisk the eggs and sugar until they reach the thick ribbon stage, then fold in the sifted flour.

Using a pallet knife, spread the sponge about 2mm thick onto a Silpat and bake for 5-6 minutes in the preheated oven. Leave to cool.

Place a metal rectangle 28cm x 18cm x 4cm on top, cut the sponge to size and set aside.

For the pear parfait, in a bain marie whisk the egg yolk, sugar and water until it reaches 78°C then transfer to a mixer with a balloon whisk and whisk the sabayon until aerated, cold and doubled in volume.

In a separate bowl whip the cream, pear purée and liqueur until ribbon stage.

Fold the cream into the sabayon, and immediately transfer the parfait mixture to a lined metal pastry mould and freeze for a minimum of 6 hours.

For the liquorice and pear sorbet, make the stock syrup by bringing the water, sugar, glucose and lemon juice to a boil and then simmer for 5 minutes.

Mix the pear purée with the stock syrup and liquorice concentrate, leave to cool, churn the sorbet and then freeze.

For the liquorice jelly, in a small saucepan bring the water, sugar, liquorice concentrate and agar to the boil and simmer for one minute. Remove from the heat, drain the gelatine and stir it into the hot liquid. Pour the jelly into a small container, leave to cool and set.

For the poached pears, peel the pears, cut them in half, and remove the core.

In a large saucepan dissolve the sugar in the water; add the liquorice root, cinnamon stick, star anise and the juice and zest of the lemons.

Bring the stock syrup to the boil, simmer for 5 minutes, add the pears, cover with a cartouche, reduce the heat and poach the pears until tender to the knife point. Leave to cool in the syrup. Cut the pears to size before serving.

To serve, with a hot knife slice a piece of the parfait, place it on a cold plate, decorate with small squares of the jelly, poached pears and a small scoop of the sorbet, dust with liquorice powder and serve.