Chelsea Winter's Fresh Ginger & Pear Loaf

Preheat the oven to 150C regular bake. Grease & flour a loaf tin.

Place the butter, sugar, golden syrup and vanilla in a medium saucepan and stir over a low heat until melted. Remove from the heat, leave to cool for 10 minutes, then add the milk, fresh ginger, egg and yolk. Whisk to combine.

Cut the pears into quarters and remove the cores. Thinly slice the pears.

Into a large mixing bowl sift the flour, ground ginger, baking powder, baking soda, 1/2tsp cardamom (if using) and 1/2tsp salt. Stir to combine. Make a well in the centre and add the butter mixture, stirring with a whisk to combine until almost smooth — a few tiny lumps are okay.

Fold half the sliced pears through the loaf batter and scrape into the tin. Arrange the remaining slices down each side of the tin, angled inwards a bit, so the middle is exposed and can still rise.

Bake in the preheated oven for 70 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. Cool in the tin for 15 minutes or so, then turn out onto a cooling rack. Keeps in an airtight container at room temperature for a few days.