CHILLI POACHED PEARS WITH STAR ANISE DUST
This is one of those puddings that tastes so much more complex than it is, with the warming spices adding layers of interest to the sweet pears. I love cooking with star anise, which is one of the main ingredients in Chinese five-spice. I’ll often add the star-shaped pods to stocks and syrups, as I do here, but grinding it to a powder and sprinkling it over the pears at the last moment also makes the dish beautifully fragrant.