Pear And Cherry Crisp With Almond Custard Sauce Food

PEAR AND DRIED-CHERRY CUSTARD CRISP

Steps:

• For topping:
• Mix first 6 ingredients in medium bowl. Add melted butter and vanilla extract; stir with fork until soft crumbly dough forms. (Can be made up to 6 hours ahead. Cover; let stand at room temperature.)
• For custard:
• Whisk eggs in medium bowl to blend. Whisk in crème fraîche and vanilla. Sift in flour; whisk until smooth. (Can be made up to 6 hours ahead. Cover and chill; rewhisk before using.)
• For filling:
• Preheat oven to 375°F. Generously butter 13x9x2-inch oval ceramic or glass baking dish. Combine pears, cherries, and lemon juice in large bowl; toss to blend. Mix flour, sugar, and lemon peel in small bowl. Add to pear mixture and toss to blend. Transfer pear mixture to prepared dish, pressing slightly with rubber spatula to form even layer. (Can be made up to 1 hour ahead; let stand at room temperature.)
• Pour custard evenly over pear mixture. Using fingertips, crumble topping evenly over. Bake until pears are tender and topping is deep golden, about 55 minutes. Remove from oven and let stand 10 minutes. Serve warm or at room temperature, with ice cream.

PEAR AND SOUR CHERRY CRISP

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Lightly grease a 2-quart baking dish.
• Mix pears, cherries, cornstarch, 2/3 cup sugar, and almond extract in prepared baking dish. Combine flour, 1/3 cup sugar, salt, and nutmeg in a bowl; cut in butter with a knife or pastry blender until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Sprinkle flour mixture over fruit.
• Bake in preheated oven until crust is golden, about 1 hour.

CHERRY, CUSTARD & ALMOND SPONGE CAKE

Steps:

• Butter two 20cm loose-bottomed round sandwich tins and line with baking parchment. Heat the oven to 190C/170C fan/gas 4. Tip the butter and sugar into the bowl of a stand mixer and beat for 10 mins, or until light and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Fold in the flour, ground almonds, baking powder, 1/4 tsp salt and the milk. Spoon the batter into the prepared tins and bake in the centre of the oven for 22-25 mins, or until risen and firm to the touch. Leave to cool in the tins for 5 mins before turning out onto a wire rack to cool completely.
• Put the cherries, vanilla, sugar, lemon juice and kirsch or liqueur (if using) in a pan and bring to a simmer over a low heat. Cook for 5 mins, turn up the heat to medium and cook for 5-7 mins more until the liquid becomes syrupy. If the cherries are softened but the liquid isn't yet syrupy, strain the liquid into a separate pan and simmer until slightly thickened. Remove from the heat and leave to cool.
• Beat the cream and icing sugar together using an electric whisk until the cream has thickened, then fold in the custard and chill for 1 hr.
• Put one of the sponges on a cake plate or stand and spread over the custard cream. Spoon over the cherries, then top with the second sponge. Dust with more icing sugar and serve immediately. Leftovers will keep chilled for two days and are best served at room temperature.

PEAR-PECAN CRISP WITH LEMON SAUCE

Steps:

• Place pears in a greased 8-in. cast-iron skillet or 8-in. square baking dish; sprinkle with sugar. In a small bowl, combine the oats, flour, brown sugar and cinnamon. Cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs; stir in pecans. Sprinkle over pears. Bake at 350° for 30-35 minutes or until bubbly., Meanwhile, in a small saucepan, combine the sugar, cornstarch and water. Cook and stir over medium-high heat until thickened and bubbly. Reduce heat; cook and stir 2 minutes longer. , Remove from the heat. Stir a small amount of hot mixture into egg yolk; return all to the pan, stirring constantly. Bring to a gentle boil; cook and stir 2 minutes longer. Remove from the heat; stir in the butter, lemon juice and zest. Serve with warm pear crisp.

CHERRY, ALMOND & VANILLA CUSTARD PAVLOVA

Steps:

• Line a large baking sheet with baking parchment. Using an 18cm round cake tin or plate as a guide, draw a circle on the parchment, then flip it over. Heat the oven to 130C/110C fan/gas ½.
• Rub the reserved lemon half around the inside of a large bowl or stand mixer, then wipe with kitchen paper to remove any butter or oil. Tip in the egg whites and whisk with an electric whisk or the mixer on a low speed until the whites form small, foamy bubbles, about 1-2 mins. Keep going until the mix looks like shaving foam, then add the sugar, 1 tbsp at a time, until it's a thick, glossy meringue. Rub some between your fingers - if you can feel any grains of sugar, keep whisking for a few minutes. Add the cornflour, lemon juice and vanilla, and whisk for another 30 seconds.
• Spoon the meringue into the centre of the circle and spread it out to the edges with a palette knife. Swipe the knife around the edge, then smooth the top.
• Bake for 1 hr 15 mins, then turn the oven down to 100C/80C fan/gas ¼ and bake for 1 hr. Turn the oven off and leave the pavlova inside to cool for at least 2 hrs, or overnight.
• When ready to serve, carefully invert the pavlova and peel away the parchment. Don't worry if it cracks a little - it will be covered by the topping.
• To make the topping, heat the double cream with the milk in a small pan until steaming. Remove from the heat. Whisk together the egg yolks, cornflour, vanilla extract and caster sugar in a bowl. Slowly pour this over the cream mixture, stirring continuously, then return the pan to a low-medium heat. Cook for 5 mins, stirring, until thickened - it should coat the back of a spoon and leave a channel when you run a finger through it. Transfer to a bowl and cover the surface with baking parchment to prevent a skin forming. Chill for at least 1 hr, until thick enough to spread.
• Pit and halve the cherries (leaving a few whole, if you like). Toss with the icing sugar and a dash of cherry liqueur or more vanilla extract, then leave to macerate for at least 30 mins. Spoon the cherry jam or compote over the centre of the pavlova, and spread it out to the edges. Beat the chilled custard briefly, then spread it over the jam. Top with the macerated cherries and scatter over the toasted flaked almonds. Best served straightaway but leftovers will keep in the fridge for two days.