Autumn and winter are peak seasons for pear varietals.
Course: Dessert
Keyword: autumn, cake, dessert, pear, winter
Author: Lei Shishak
Ingredients
1/3cupwhole milk
6cardamom pods, crushed
2cloves, crushed
1/3cupbrown sugar
¼cupsalted butter
2teaspoonsvanilla extract
2large Bosc pears
1large egg
1/3cupsugar
¼cupolive oil
1teaspoonorange zest
¾cupall-purpose flour
1½teaspoonsbaking powder
¾teaspoonbaking soda
¼teaspoonsalt
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a 9-inch round cake pan and set aside.
Combine the milk, cardamom, and cloves in a small pot over high heat. Bring to just a boil, remove from heat, and let steep.
In another small pot, combine the brown sugar, butter, and 1 teaspoon vanilla over high heat. Boil for 30 seconds, stirring constantly, and then pour into the prepared cake pan. Tilt the pan to ensure the caramel evenly coats the bottom.
Peel the pears and cut them in half. Remove cores and cut 1⁄8-inch thick slices. Arrange them on the bottom of the caramel-coated pan in a concentric pattern. Rough chop the remaining pears, enough to measure 1 cup, and set aside.
In a large bowl, whisk the egg, sugar, oil, orange zest, and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract. Strain in the infused milk and stir in until blended. Add the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and chopped pears. Stir until all the ingredients are incorporated. Pour batter into the pan and smooth out top. Bake for 25 minutes until the center is set. Let cake cool for a few minutes before inverting onto a serving plate.
Notes
From Chef Lei Shishak, author ofFarm to Table Desserts: 80 Seasonal Organic Recipes Made from Your Local Farmer’s Markets, 2017, Skyhorse Publishing.