Caramelized Pear Upside Down Cake Food

CARAMELIZED PEAR UPSIDE-DOWN CAKE

Steps:

• Position a rack in the center of the oven and heat the oven to 350°F. Butter the bottom and sides of a 9×2-inch round cake pan (don't use a springform pan, as the caramel might leak out during baking). Line the bottom of the pan with a round of parchment and butter the top of the paper.
• Peel, core, and cut the pears lengthwise into 1/4-inch-thick slices. Arrange the pear slices on the bottom of the pan in a circle around the edge, overlapping them slightly, with the pointed ends towards the center. If necessary, cut a little off the pointed ends to make the slices fit better. Or if the pear slices don't reach all the way to the middle, arrange a few of the shorter slices in the center to cover the bottom of the pan. Make the Basic Caramel according to the directions. Immediately remove the pan from the heat and whisk in the 4 Tbs. of butter one piece at a time, until they are completely melted. Carefully pour the hot caramel evenly over the pears (it should spread over the pears and onto the bottom of the pan).
• Sift the flour, baking powder, ginger, cinnamon, and salt into a medium bowl. Stir to combine. In a small bowl, stir together the milk and vanilla. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 1 minute.Turn the mixer to medium and slowly add the brown sugar. Increase the speed to high and continue to mix until lightened in texture and color, 2 to 3 minutes total. Reduce the speed to medium and add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition and scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. Reduce the speed to low and alternate adding the flour mixture and milk mixture in five additions, beginning and ending with the flour. Mix each addition just enough to incorporate, as overmixing will lead to a tougher cake. Scrape down the sides of the bowl one last time and mix briefly to blend well.
• Spoon the batter in large dollops over the pears and smooth it into an even layer with an offset spatula. Bake the cake until the top is golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, 35 to 45 minutes. Transfer the pan to a wire rack to cool for 10 minutes. Run a knife around the edge of the pan. Turn a cake plate upside down on top of the cake pan and, using pot holders, carefully invert the cake pan onto the plate.

PEAR UPSIDE-DOWN CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
• In a medium saucepan, melt butter and brown sugar together over low heat, stirring occasionally until dissolved. (Alternatively use your microwave at half power or less in 30 second increments, stirring each time, until melted. If you go longer or at a higher power setting, you may have a buttery mess on your hands. Consider yourself warned!)
• Pour caramel mixture into 9-inch round cake pan.
• Top with sliced pears, working from the inside to the outside, creating a spiraled pattern.
• In a medium mixing bowl, mix together dry ingredients.
• In a large mixing bowl, mix together milk, oil, egg, and vanilla until just blended.
• Add dry mixture to wet mixture and stir until just incorporated.
• Pour cake batter into pan over caramel and pears.
• Place cake in middle rack in oven. On a lower rack, place a large cookie sheet directly underneath the cake pan to catch any possible drips.
• Bake approximately 50-60 minutes, or until caramel has bubbled up around the sides, cake is golden brown and a toothpick comes out with dry crumbs adhering to it.
• Remove from oven and let cake stand for approximately 10 minutes on a wire rack. (This is an important step: if you turn cake out too soon, some of the topping of your cake might fall apart; alternatively, if you turn cake out too late, you may not be able to get the cake out because the caramel will have cooled too much and stuck to the pan.)
• Flip cake out onto a serving dish and serve warm or cold.

PEAR UPSIDE DOWN CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Spread the almonds on a baking sheet and toast, shaking the pan occasionally, until lightly golden, 15 to 20 minutes. Set aside to cool. Turn the oven temperature down to 325 degrees F.
• Stir together the melted butter, brown sugar, cinnamon, ginger, allspice, cloves and corn syrup and evenly coat the bottom and sides of a 10 inch glass pie plate with the mixture. When the almonds are cool, arrange around the bottom rim of the pie plate, with a few in the center, pressing them into the brown sugar mixture. Arrange the pear halves like spokes of a wheel on top of the brown sugar mixture.
• In a mixing bowl, combine the pastry flour, granulated sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt and thoroughly mix.
• In another bowl, whisk together the softened butter, sour cream, egg yolks and vanilla. Add to the dry ingredients and mix with an electric mixer at medium speed about 1 1/2 minutes, scraping down the sides of the bowl occasionally, until thick and smooth.
• Using a spatula, spread the batter evenly over the fruit, building up the outside edges so the cake will be level when baked. Bake 40 to 50 minutes, until golden brown and a tester inserted in the center comes out clean. Transfer to a rack and cool 3 to 5 minutes (no longer) and then invert onto a serving plate, repositioning the fruit as necessary.

CARAMELIZED PEAR CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F. Melt butter in heavy 10-inch-diameter ovenproof skillet over low heat. Remove from heat. Sprinkle with brown sugar. Arrange quartered pears in flower design atop sugar, cutting some pieces to fit center if necessary.
• Whisk flour, 2/3 cup sugar, crystallized ginger, cinnamon, baking soda, ground ginger and salt in medium bowl to blend. Whisk eggs, oil, vanilla and orange peel in large bowl to blend. Mix in grated pears. Mix dry ingredients into egg mixture.
• Carefully pour batter over pears in skillet. Bake cake until tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 40 minutes. Cool cake in skillet on rack 20 minutes. Run knife around skillet sides to loosen. Place plate on skillet over cake. Invert cake onto plate. Serve warm.

CARAMEL PEAR CAKE

Steps:

• Arrange pear slices in rows in a greased 13x9-in. baking dish; set aside. In a large saucepan, melt the caramels with a 1/2 cup water; stir in butter until smooth. Pour over pears. , In a large bowl, combine the cake mix, eggs, oil and remaining water; beat on low speed for 30 seconds. Beat on medium for 2 minutes. Pour over the caramel layer., Bake at 350° for 45-50 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center of cake comes out clean. Cool for 5 minutes before inverting onto a serving platter. Serve with whipped cream.

UPSIDE- DOWN CARAMEL PEAR PIE

Steps:

• Make the crust:.
• Preheat oven to 375°. In a large mixing bowl, stir together flour, sugar and salt. Using a pastry blender or two knives, blend in shortening until mixture resembles very coarse crumbs. Sprinkle with water and stir until dough forms a ball. Wrap ball in plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 30 minutes.
• When chilled, cut dough in half. On a lightly floured cutting board or counter, roll each dough half out into an 11-inch circle. Let crusts sit until ready to assemble pie.
• Make the filling:.
• Line a 9-inch pie plate with a 14-inch circle of heavy-duty foil. Spread the 2 tablespoons butter over bottom of lined pie plate, using all the butter.
• Press pecan halves (outsides facing down) into butter in a decorative circular pattern around bottom of pie plate. Sprinkle nuts with brown sugar.
• Spray edges of foil-lined pie plate with cooking spray; set aside.
• In a large mixing bowl, using a wooden spoon, stir together sugar, flour, spices and salt; add pears and toss gently to coat; set aside.
• Assemble the pie:.
• Transfer one of the prepared pie crusts to the pie plate, placing it over pecans; press down evenly. Top with pear mixture and dot with butter.
• Cover pears with second pie crust, roll edges under and crimp as desired. Cut several slits in the crust to allow steam to escape.
• Bake 10 minutes, then reduce heat to 375° and bake an additional 35 to 40 minutes, or until crust is nicely browned.
• Let pie cool 5 minutes, then invert onto a serving plate. To garnish, drizzle pie with caramel topping and serve warm, with whipped cream, if desired.

CARAMEL PINEAPPLE UPSIDE DOWN CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line a 9"x13" pan with parchment paper.
• In a large bowl, beat together cake mix, butter, eggs and pineapple juice. Mix well.Set aside.
• In a medium sauce pan over medium high heat melt butter and whisk in brown sugar and evaporated milk. Bring to a boil stirring consistently. Adjust heat to simmer and continue to stir for about 5-7 minuets being careful not to burn mixture. Remove from heat and whisk in vanilla.
• Carefully pour hot caramel mixture into baking pan over parchment paper. Distribute pineapple rings over caramel sauce. Add cherries.
• Pour cake batter over caramel and fruit.
• Bake for about 45 minuets or until inserted toothpick comes out clean.
• Once cake is finished baking, allow to sit for 3-5 minuets then remove cake from pan by flipping cake onto wired rack and carefully and slowly, pull back paper from caramel. to continue to cool. Failure to do this will allow the cake to keep baking, which will result to a dry cake.
• Place cake onto desired dish and serve. Refrigerate leftovers.

UPSIDE-DOWN PEAR CARDAMOM CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375°F.
• Make caramelized pears:
• Peel pears, then halve lengthwise and core. Spread sugar on a plate, then press cut sides of pear halves into sugar to coat, reserving remaining sugar.
• Melt butter in a well-seasoned 10-inch cast-iron skillet over moderate heat until foam subsides. Reduce heat to low and arrange pears, cut sides down, decoratively in skillet. Sprinkle reserved sugar all around pears. Cook pears over moderately low heat until sugar begins to caramelize, about 15 minutes, and remove skillet from heat.
• Make cake batter:
• Whisk together flour, baking powder, cardamom, and salt. Beat together butter and sugar in a bowl with an electric mixer until light and fluffy. Add vanilla and egg and beat well. Add flour mixture and milk alternately in 3 batches, mixing at low speed after each addition until just combined.
• Spoon batter over pears in skillet, gently spreading evenly and being careful not to disturb pears (batter will not cover tops of all pears). Bake in middle of oven until golden brown and a tester comes out clean, 20 to 25 minutes.
• Cool cake in skillet on a rack 5 minutes. Run a thin knife around edge and invert a plate over skillet. Invert cake onto plate (wearing oven mitts), keeping plate and skillet firmly pressed together. Replace any fruit stuck to bottom of skillet if necessary.
• Serve cake warm or at room temperature.