Pear Apricot and Rosewater Pudding with Lady Fingers (Cypriot Charlotta)

This fresh and light pudding is my adaptation of a traditional Cypriot dessert called charlotta. You can make this gluten-free by skipping the sponge layer - the fruit and rose-scented custard are delicious on their own.

Poached Fruit and Sponge:

water (500 mL)
caster sugar (80 g)
seeds from 7 green cardamom pods, crushed
2 Tbsp. lemon juice, freshly squeezed
pears, peeled and cored, cut into 3 cm wedges (625 g)
dried apricots, cut into 1 cm strips (80 g)
ready-made sponge fingers, or enough to cover the serving bowl (150 g)
handful of shelled, unsalted pistachios, crushed, to decorate

Custard:
4 large egg yolks
caster sugar (90 g)
1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
1½ tsp. rosewater
3 Tbsp. cornflour
whole milk (800 mL)

Place the measured water, sugar, cardamom seeds and lemon juice in a saucepan and bring to the boil. Add the pears and reduce the heat to a simmer. Cook for five minutes, then remove the fruit (or strain it in a sieve, making sure you retain the poaching liquid). Leave on a plate to cool.

Return the poaching liquid to the saucepan, add the dried apricots and cook for 10 minutes over a medium heat until they have softened. Remove the apricots and set them aside to cool. Don’t throw away the liquid, though, we’ll be using that later.

Make the custard by whisking together the egg yolks, sugar, vanilla, rosewater and cornflour in a large bowl until the mixture is pale and has doubled in size. Place the milk in a large saucepan and heat it to just below the simmering point. Pour a ladleful of warm milk on to the egg mixture and whisk it in. Then slowly ladle all the milk in, whisking as you do so.

Return the custard to the large pan and bring to a simmer, whisking gently as you cook for five minutes so it thickens. Leave to cool.

Place a layer of sponge fingers in a serving dish and spoon over four Tbsp. of poaching liquid. Top with a layer of the pears and dried apricots and finish by spooning over five Tbsp. of poaching liquid.

Spoon an even layer of the cold custard over the fruit. Then cover the dish and refrigerate for at least one hour. To serve, decorate with a handful of crushed pistachios, sprinkling them over the pudding.

Makes 6-8 servings.