Recipe: tea and pear-baked oatmeal

Heat milk in a small pot over a medium heat until it begins to simmer. Reduce to a low heat and stir in 2 tablespoons of oolong tea leaves.

Continuously stir the tea in the milk for 5 minutes. Strain and discard the oolong tea leaves from the milk and pour into an airtight container. Leave to cool in the refrigerator as you prepare the rest of the recipe.

Preheat the oven to 190°C/375°F and butter three ramekins. Thinly slice the pear and add two layers of pear to the bottom of each ramekin.

Melt 1½ tablespoons of butter and leave to cool to room temperature.

Using a spice grinder or food processor, grind 1 teaspoon of oolong tea until fine.

In a small bowl, mix together the oats, walnuts, baking powder, cinnamon, salt, and the ground tea. Mix well until combined.

In a second small bowl, whisk together the tea infused milk, egg, vanilla, melted butter and maple syrup. Mix well until combined.

Evenly divide the dry oat mixture amongst the three ramekins, spooning it onto the layers of sliced pear. Slowly drizzle ½ cup of the wet mixture over the oats in each ramekin (½ cup per ramekin). Top the wet oat mixture with the remaining pear slices and then drizzle the remaining wet mixture over each.

Place ramekins on a foil lined baking tray and bake for 35 – 40 minutes or until the pears are slightly browned. Remove from the oven and leave to cool for a few minutes. Best served immediately.