Rice pudding with rum poached pears, cinnamon and caramelised pecans

For the caramelised pecans, in a non-stick pot over medium heat cook down the brown sugar with a splash of water. Once bubbling, add in the pecans and cook while stirring for around 5 minutes until the majority of the liquid has evaporated. Line a baking tray with parchment paper and spread over the caramelised pecans. Sprinkle with flaky sea salt to taste, then leave them to cool at room temperature

For the rice pudding, in a large saucepan over a medium heat combine the rice, milk, cream, vanilla bean paste, sugar and cinnamon with a pinch of salt. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook until thickened, around 20 minutes

Meanwhile add the coffee, brown sugar, star anise and spiced rum into a pot over a low heat to infuse. Peel the pears leaving the stalks attached, then add them to the pot with the coffee and aromatics then cover with a lid. Leave to poach at a gentle simmer for around 20 minutes until the pears are tender

When the caramelised pecans have cooled, break them apart and set them aside

Once the pears are soft, set them aside and strain around 400ml of the poaching liqueur into a small pot. Combine with the 150g caster sugar, and bring to a boil. Let this reduce and thicken until it reaches a syrup consistency

Before serving, use an electric mixer to whip the cream

To plate, spoon the rice pudding into bowls then top with the rum poached pear, caramelised pecans and a generous spoon of whipped cream. Drizzle over the reduced poaching liqueur and garnish with a dusting of cinnamon if desired