Mary Berry Pear Pudding

I made this pear pudding on a cold Tuesday when everything felt a bit… meh. You know the kind of day — grey outside, socks mismatched, dishwasher full, mood lukewarm. But I had a tin of pears in the cupboard and remembered Mary Berry did something magical with them. I thought, “Right. Let’s do this.”

By the time it was in the oven, the house smelled like butter and treacle and brown sugar — like someone was giving my kitchen a hug. The sauce bubbled on the hob like liquid gold. I took one bite straight from the spoon (don’t come for me), and it was warm, spongy, sweet, but not too sweet. Just the thing to lift the day a bit.

This recipe isn’t fussy or flashy. It’s the sort of pud you make in a battered dish, bring to the table with a jug of sauce, and watch vanish in seconds.

Why You’ll Love It

• Takes tinned pears and makes them fancy – no peeling or poaching needed
• The sauce is dangerously good – pour it on thick, nobody’s judging
• It bakes up like a hug – squidgy, golden, just-right sweetness
• Great for feeding a table – everyone wants seconds
• It smells incredible – butter + treacle = joy
• Zero stress – no decorating, no cooling, no piping bags in sight

Ingredients

For the pudding:

• 1 x 400g tin pear halves, drained and dried
• 75g butter, softened (plus a smidge for greasing)
• 150g light muscovado sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 175g self-raising flour
• 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
• 2 tbsp black treacle
• 125ml milk

For the sauce:

• 100g butter
• 175g light muscovado sugar
• 400ml double cream
• ½ tsp vanilla extract
• 2 tbsp black treacle

How to Make It

Grease the dish and get your oven going:

Grab a shallow dish (about 30x20cm — it doesn’t need to be exact) and butter it well. Pop the oven on at 180°C (160°C fan). Take a breath, put the radio on, and let’s get into it.

Slice the pears (but not all the same!):

Chop most of the pears into chunks — around 1cm. Take one half and slice it into those pretty crescent shapes for the top. Honestly, I only do this bit when I’m trying to impress someone.

Cream the butter and sugar:

In a big bowl, beat your softened butter with the sugar until it’s light-ish and fluffy-ish. I use a fork when I can’t be bothered to dig out the electric whisk. Works just fine.

Build your batter:

Crack in the eggs, stir in the treacle, flour, bicarb, and milk. The mix should be thick but spreadable. Now fold in your pear chunks. Don’t overthink it.

Bake it golden:

Scrape the batter into your dish. Smooth it out. Pop it in the oven for about 40 minutes — until the top is risen, bronzed, and just pulling away at the sides. If it jiggles like jelly, give it a few more minutes.

Make that sauce (you’ll want to bottle it):

Put all the sauce bits in a saucepan and gently warm until melted. Let it bubble for a few minutes — it should thicken slightly and smell divine. Stir it now and then so nothing sticks.

Dress it up and devour:

Lay your pear slices across the top (or don’t, I won’t tell). Pour half the sauce over the pudding. Serve the rest in a jug — people will want extra. Best served warm with cream, custard, ice cream… or honestly, just a big spoon.

Common Mistakes and How to Dodge Them

Why is my pudding a bit dry?
It’s probably been in too long. Mine went dry once because I forgot about it while watching Bake Off. Start checking at 35 minutes.

The sauce split. What do I do?
Take it off the heat and whisk it hard. Usually pulls back together. If not, it still tastes incredible.

My batter looked curdled — is that bad?
Nope, totally fine. Treacle and eggs can look a bit weird together. Just keep going.

Can I use fresh pears?
Sure, if you’ve got the time. Just peel, core, and pre-cook slightly so they’re soft enough.

Storage and Reheating

Fridge:
Leftovers (if any!) will keep in the fridge for up to 3 days. Just cover it and avoid eating it all cold with a spoon like I did at 11pm.

Freezer:
You can freeze it, but do it in slices. Wrap them up snug, and reheat from frozen.

Reheat:
Oven: 180°C for about 15 minutes.
Microwave: Medium for 45–60 seconds. Add sauce to revive it.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I have to use black treacle?
Nope — dark molasses or even golden syrup works in a pinch. But treacle’s got that proper old-school depth.

Can I make it ahead of time?
Absolutely. Bake it, cool it, reheat later. Just warm the sauce separately before serving.

Is it gluten-free?
Not this one — but you could try a GF self-raising blend. Might change the texture a bit, but still tasty.

Do I really need to use all that sauce?
Need? No. But should you? Yes. Yes, you should.

Nutrition Facts (Per Serving):

• Calories: 338
• Fat: 6g
• Saturated Fat: 3.8g
• Carbs: 68g
• Sugar: 41g
• Protein: 6g
• Sodium: 172mg

Try More Mary Berry Recipes:

• Mary Berry Pineapple Fruit Cake
• Mary Berry Carrot And Banana Cake
• Mary Berry Olive Oil Cake