Poach the pears in the syrup ingredients for about 1/2 hour until not quite soft. Allow the pears to cool in their liquid then slice 5mm thick pieces from the pear on either side of the core. Set aside the nicer large pieces to garnish the cake, then dice the remaining pear to have about I cup of pear cubes for the cake batter.

The cake: Cream the butter, zest and sugar until light and pale, then add the eggs individually, beating well after each addition.. Sieve the flour and baking powder together. Fold the macadamia nuts through the butter batter then add the pear and yoghurt, followed by the flour. Do not overmix.

Pour the batter into a buttered and floured 26cm round cake tin and bake at 170 c for approximately I hour.

While the cake is baking, boil the poaching liquid for about 15 minutes, or until the it is quite syrupy. When the cake is removed from the oven, brush about 1/2 cup of the syrup over the cake. When cold, glaze the whole cake with a fine layer of smooth apricot jam that has been heated to boiling. Fan the reserved pear slices over the cake, drench with icing sugar then carefully caramelise the top with a blow torch or place under the griller for a few seconds, until the sugar caramelises.

Per serving: 4486 Calories (kcal); 224g Total Fat; (43% calories from fat); 28g Protein; 635g Carbohydrate; 889mg Cholesterol; 2891mg Sodium Food Exchanges: 2 Grain(Starch); 3 Lean Meat; 0 Vegetable; 0 Fruit; 42 1/2 Fat; 40 1/2 Other Carbohydrates