HONEY-ROASTED PEARS WITH POLENTA & CARDAMOM BISCUITS

Instructions

1.	FOR THE HONEY & YOGHURT CREAM
2.	In a saucepan heat the cream, honey and agar agar to just before boiling. Cool slightly.
3.	Whisk in the yoghurt until smooth.
4.	Pour into four dessert bowls, cover and chill in the fridge for about 4 hours or overnight.
5.	FOR THE SALTED CARAMEL COOKIE & COFFEE CRUMB
6.	Break the cookie into small pieces, place in a food processor with the coffee grounds and process to an even crumb.
7.	Store in the fridge until ready to use.
8.	FOR THE POLENTA & CARDAMOM BISCUITS (MAKES 24)
9.	Put the cardamom in a mortar and pestle and crush to release the seeds. Discard the green husks and roughly crush the black seeds with the salt.
10.	Combine with the polenta, flour and baking powder.
11.	Cream together the butter and sugar until light and creamy.
12.	Beat in the eggs a bit at a time, then stir in the dry ingredients until you have a smooth dough.
13.	Form the dough into a log with a diameter of about 5-6cm. Wrap the dough in baking paper, twisting the ends. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
14.	Heat the oven to 180°C.
15.	Cut the dough into slices about 1⁄2cm thick and lay out on a baking tray lined with baking paper.
16.	Flatten each biscuit a little.
17.	Bake for 10-12 minutes until golden around the edges.
18.	Cool on a wire rack.
19.	FOR THE SPICED WALNUTS
20.	Heat the oven to 180°C.
21.	Put the walnuts and egg white in a bowl and mix to coat.
22.	Add the sugar, cinnamon, cayenne pepper and salt and stir.
23.	Spread on a baking tray lined with baking paper (or grease the tray well).
24.	Bake for 8-10 minutes stirring once.
25.	Cool, then store in an airtight container.
26.	FOR THE HONEY-ROASTED PEARS
27.	Heat the oven to 200°C fan bake.
28.	Slice each pear into 8 wedges and cut out the core.
29.	Toss with the lemon juice, honey and vanilla.
30.	Put into a baking dish that fits all the pears in one layer and pour over the honey mixture.
31.	Bake for 10-12 minutes turning once, stirring in 1 or 2 tablespoons of water if the liquid is drying out too much (the amount will depend on the size of your dish; you want to be left with a bit of syrup to drizzle over the pears).
32.	Add two wedges of pear to each bowl of yoghurt cream.
33.	Drizzle with a little syrup, sprinkle over the crumb and serve with walnuts and biscuits.