In each issue of Inspire we bring you one of our Head Chef's, Norman Webb, favourite seasonal recipes for you to try making yourself.

This month Norman's choice is pears poached in cider!

Cider poached baby pear with vanilla ice cream and chocolate sauce - Serves four

Ingredients
1 tin of baby pears
1 bottle of pear cider
1 cinnamon stick
3 star anise
1 orange
10 cloves
Vanilla ice cream
Raspberry puree
1 dessert pear

Method

Drain the pears and keep the syrup. Place the cider, cinnamon stick, star anise, orange and cloves in a pot. Place pears in the liquid, cover and simmer until soft. Peal and dice the pear into cubes, place in the syrup and simmer on the stove until soft.

Chocolate sauce - Ingredients

210g water
40g chocolate
60g caster sugar

Boil these ingredients in a pot together.

90g water
30g cacao powder
12g cornflour
75g caster sugar

Mix these ingredients in a bowl together and add to the pot once it has come to the boil and stir until it thickens. Place on the side to cool.

Sponge mix - Ingredients

4 eggs
4oz caster sugar
4oz plain flour
2oz butter

Method

Whisk the eggs and sugar until they reach ribbon stage. Fold in the flour. Melt the butter and fold into the egg mix. Pour the mix onto a greased baking tray and bake in the oven at 170 degrees Celsius for five minutes.

To serve

Place a spoonful of the diced pear on the plate and put the pear on top. Cut out the sponge with a cutter. Scoop vanilla ice cream and place on top of the sponge. Drizzle chocolate sauce on the plate and drop the raspberry puree in between.