French toast with pears & pomegranate sauce

Combine eggs, milk, vanilla and ½ teaspoon cardamom in a bowl and pour into a rectangular baking dish. Add brioche and stand for 10mins, or until egg mixture has been absorbed, turning once.

Meanwhile, melt 15g butter in a large, non-stick frypan over moderately high heat. Add pears and saut for 3mins or until starting to soften, then transfer to a plate. Add 30g extra butter to pan and stir to melt. Stir in pomegranate mixture, sugar and remaining heaped ½ teaspoon cardamom, and simmer until thickened and syrupy, about 4mins. Remove from heat and set aside.

Melt remaining 15g butter in frypan over moderate heat. Add egg-soaked brioche and cook for 6mins or until golden, turning once. Cut diagonally in half, transfer to plates, top with pears and spoon sauce over. Serve with a dollop of cream.

Wine match This more-ish dish deserves a heavenly dessert wine. For something original, try the 2009 Anvers Pink Moscato, $20, with its subtle musk flavours, or the hedonistic 2007 Heggies Reserve 242 Botrytis Riesling, $35.

Loukie's Kitchen (Media 21, $59.95) brings together over a decade's worth of foolproof recipes from H&G food writer Loukie Werle's popular cooking classes, held in her Sydney home. The cookbook is available at selected bookstores and through Loukie's website, www.loukie.com.au , where you'll also find a schedule of classes.