Plum and Pear Pudding

2 Tbls. honey
3 or 4 ripe pears (whatever will fit in the pan)
1 cup chopped and pitted plums
1/4 cup butter
2 Tbls. molasses
2 eggs
1/2 cup whole wheat pastry flour or white wheat flour
1/2 tsp. ground ginger
pinch of salt

Preheat oven to 350 F. Grease an 8 inch, round cake tin and line the bottom with paper.

Drizzle the honey in the bottom of the pan. Cut the pears in half and remove the cores. Arrange the pear halves with the cut side down, in a circle in the pan, leaving an open circle in the middle. Put the plums over the pears, concentrating them in the space in the middle and between the plums.

In a mixing bowl, cream together the butter and molasses. Beat in the egg yolks on high speed until creamy.

Warm the egg whites in a double boiler until about body temperature. In a separate bowl, beat the egg whites on high speed until they form a mousse with soft peaks. Fold the egg whites into the rest.

Fold in the flour, ginger, and salt. Beat the batter on medium speed for about a minute.

Pour the batter over the top of the fruit, spreading it out to cover the fruit.

Bake for 50-60 minutes. It will look juicy and bubbly, but the cake part will be firm to the touch.

Let cool in the pan for about 10 minutes, then turn it out onto a serving plate and remove the paper.