Maple-poached pears with bourbon cream

Method

1. For the pears: put the maple syrup, sugar, cinnamon, butter, perry and lemon juice into a saucepan. Bring to the boil, then turn down to a gentle simmer.

2. Put the pear halves into maple-syrup mixture and cook until the pears are just tender when pierced with the tip of a knife. Gently turn the pears over once during the cooking so that all the surfaces come into contact with the liquid.

3. Remove the pears with a slotted spoon and set aside. Boil the liquid until it is reduced by half and is syrupy. Leave to cool.

4. For the caramelised pecans: put the nuts in a small frying pan with sugar and butter. Heat until the sugar and butter melt, then stir the pecans in the mixture until golden brown. Remove from the pan and set aside. (If you prefer something less sweet, dry-fry the pecans in a pan.)

5. For the cream: whip the cream to soft peaks and add brown sugar to taste. Stir in the bourbon.

6. Serve 2 pear halves per person with the syrup drizzled over. Garnish with the pecans left whole or broken into pieces. Add a dollop of bourbon cream or offer it separately.