Pear Cornmeal Shortcakes With Oven Roasted Pears Food

PEAR CAKE WITH CINNAMON BUTTERCREAM FROSTING

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease 9x13 baking pan.
• Cut pears into bite-sized pieces, reserving juice.
• In large bowl, stir eggs and sugar together. Add pears and juice, stirring to combine. Stir in flour, salt and baking soda. Pour into greased pan.
• Bake at 350 degrees for 23-30 minutes, until toothpick inserted in middle comes out clean.
• Cool before frosting.
• Place butter in mixing bowl.
• Sift together powdered sugar and cinnamon. Add to mixing bowl and beat with vanilla.
• Add milk 1 tablespoon at a time until desired consistency is reached.

PEAR-CORNMEAL SHORTCAKES WITH OVEN-ROASTED PEARS

Steps:

• For pears:
• Preheat oven to 400°F. Combine first 6 ingredients in 13x9x2-inch glass baking dish; toss to blend. Cover dish with foil and bake until pears are tender, stirring occasionally, about 40 minutes. Uncover. Mix in cranberries and bake until cranberries are tender but still hold shape, about 15 minutes. Cool fruit mixture. Maintain oven temperature.
• For biscuits:
• Line baking sheet with parchment paper. Blend flour, cornmeal, 3 tablespoons sugar, baking powder, salt and baking soda in processor. Add butter; using on/off turns, blend until butter is cut into pea-size pieces. Add buttermilk; using on/off turns, blend until dough comes together. Pat out dough on floured surface to scant 3/4-inch thickness. Using 2 3/4-inch-diameter cutter, cut out 4 biscuits. Gather scraps; pat out to scant 3/4-inch thickness. Cut out 2 more biscuits.
• Arrange biscuits on prepared sheet; brush with beaten egg. Bake until golden brown and tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 15 minutes.
• Beat cream and powdered sugar in medium bowl to stiff peaks. Cut biscuits horizontally in half. Place bottoms on plates. Top each with pear mixture, whipped cream, then biscuit tops.

WARM PEAR SHORTCAKES WITH BRANDIED CREAM

Steps:

• Make biscuits:
• Preheat oven to 400°F. Sift both flours, sugar, baking powder, salt and baking soda into large bowl. Add butter. Rub in with fingers until mixture resembles coarse meal. Add buttermilk; stir to blend. Gather dough into ball.
• Gently knead dough on floured surface until dough holds together. Roll out dough on lightly floured surface to 1/2-inch thickness. Using 3-inch-diameter star-shaped cookie cutter, cut out biscuits. Gather dough scraps, reroll and cut out additional biscuits, making total of 24. Arrange biscuits on 2 baking sheets, spacing 2 inches apart.
• Brush tops of biscuits with egg. Bake until biscuits puff and are light golden, about 12 minutes. (Can be prepared 8 hours ahead. Cool completely. Wrap in foil. Reheat foil-wrapped biscuits in 350°F. oven about 10 minutes before using.)
• Make pears:
• Toss pears with lemon juice in large bowl. (Can be prepared 2 hours ahead. Cover and refrigerate.)
• Melt butter in heavy large skillet over medium heat. Add pear mixture and sauté until crisp-tender, about 6 minutes. Remove pear mixture from heat. Add whipping cream and brown sugar, then pear brandy. Bring mixture to boil. Cook until pears are tender and sauce thickens slightly, about 5 minutes. Divide pear mixture among 12 bowls. Top with warm biscuits and serve.

SPICED SHORTCAKES WITH SAUTEED PEARS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375°.
• Combine flour and next 6 ingredients (through ginger) in a large bowl, stirring with a whisk.
• Cut in 1/4 cup butter with a pastry blender or 2 knives until butter pieces are pea-sized.
• Add milk and 1/4 cup water; stir just until moist.
• Drop dough by level 1/4 cup measures 2 inches apart onto a baking sheet coated with cooking spray.
• Flatten dough to 1/2-inch thickness using lightly floured hands. Let stand 5 minutes.
• Combine 1 tablespoon water and egg white.
• Brush egg white mixture over dough; sprinkle evenly with granulated sugar.
• Bake for 15 minutes or until golden. Remove from pan; cool on a wire rack.
• To prepare filling, combine pears and lemon juice; toss to coat.
• Melt 1 tablespoon butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add pear mixture; sauté 2 minutes.
• Stir in 3 tablespoons brown sugar; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low; simmer for 5 minutes or until the sauce thickens slightly, stirring occasionally.
• Remove from heat; stir in vanilla.
• Split each shortcake in half horizontally using a serrated knife. Spoon about 1/3 cup pear mixture over bottom half of each shortcake; top each serving with top of shortcake and 1/4 cup yogurt.

ROASTED PEARS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F.
• Peel, if you wish (I leave them unpeeled) Slice pear in half lengthwise, scoop out seeds to make a nice circle. Spray with veggies spray and set aside in a gratin dish sprayed with veggie spray, cut side up.
• In a small bowl mix together, cream cheese, salt, nutmeg and 1 teaspoon honey. Fill each pear half cavity with half of the cheese mixture.
• Place a half walnut on top of the cheese mixture; lightly press it down. Drizzle pear halves with remaining teaspoon of honey.
• On centre grate in oven, roast at 350°F for about 1 hour or until soft. Test with a toothpick at about 45 minutes.

GINGER SHORTCAKES WITH CRANBERRY PEAR COMPOTE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees; line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
• For the shortcakes, stir together the first 6 ingredients (flour through salt); cut in butter and shortening with a pastry blender until well blended.
• Whisk together the cream and egg, fold into flour mixture just until most but still lumpy.
• Using a 1/3 cup measuring cup, measure out and form shortcakes; brush the tops with the 1 tablespoon cream and sprinkle with the turbinado sugar.
• Bake for 15 to 20 minutes or until brown; remove from pan onto wire rack and allow to cool.
• To prepare the compote, in a saucepan combine the sliced pears with the sugars, butter and cinnamon stick; place over medium heat until sugar dissolves, approximately 2 minutes.
• To the pear mixture, add 2 cups of the cranberries and ginger ale; cover and simmer until berries pop and sauce thickens, about 10 minutes.
• Add the remaining cranberries and corn syrup; serve warm over the shortcakes topped with orange cream.
• For the orange cream, place cream through orange extract in small mixing bowl and beat with an electric mixer or wire whisk until soft peaks form.
• Garnish by sifting additional powdered sugar over all and topping with orange zest.

VANILLA CORNMEAL GRIDDLE CAKES WITH PEARS

Steps:

• To make clarified butter, melt butter in heavy saucepan over low heat; cook 20 to 30 minutes until bubbling ceases and liquid turns clear.
• Strain, being sure to leave solids in the bottom of pan.
• Cool completely.
• Whish together flours and next 4 ingredients in a medium bowl; set aside.
• Whisk together buttermilk and next 4 ingredients.
• Add to flour mixture, whisking until smooth.
• Stir in pears.
• Heat griddle or large skillet over medium heat; brush with 1 to 2 tablespoons cooled clarified butter.
• Pour about 1/4 cup batter for each cake onto griddle.
• Cook over medium low heat 3-4 minutes or until tops are covered with tiny bubbles and edges look dry and cooked.
• Turn cakes and cook other side.
• Remove from griddle to serving plate.
• Grease griddle with additional butter as needed and repeat procedure with remaining batter.
• Serve immediately with butter and maple syrup.

CARAMELIZED PEAR TART WITH CORNMEAL CRUST

Steps:

• Make dough:
• In a bowl whisk together flour, cornmeal, sugar, and salt. Cut butter into 1/2-inch cubes and add to flour mixture. With your fingertips or a pastry blender blend in butter until most of mixture resembles coarse meal with remainder in small (roughly pea-size) lumps. Drizzle 4 tablespoons ice water evenly over mixture and gently stir with a fork until incorporated. Test mixture by gently squeezing a small handful: When it has proper texture it should hold together without crumbling apart. If necessary, add enough remaining water, 1 teaspoon at a time, stirring until incorporated and testing, to give mixture proper texture. (If you overwork mixture or add too much water, pastry will be tough.)
• Turn mixture out onto a work surface and divide into 4 portions. With heel of hand smear each portion once in a forward motion to help distribute fat. Gather dough together and form it, rotating it on work surface, into a disk. Chill dough, wrapped in plastic wrap, until firm, at least 1 hour, and up to 1 day.
• Preheat oven to 400°F.
• Make caramelized pears:
• Peel pears and halve lengthwise. Cut each half into 3 wedges and core. In a 10-inch cast-iron skillet melt butter over moderate heat and stir in sugar. Cook mixture, stirring frequently, until sugar is dissolved and mixture is golden, about 6 minutes. Remove skillet from heat and let mixture stand until it begins to firm up, about 3 minutes. Arrange pears, rounded sides down, as close together as possible in 2 concentric circles in skillet.
• On a lightly floured surface roll out dough into a 15-inch round (about 1/8 inch thick) and cut out an 11-inch round. Drape round over pears, tucking edge around pears, and with a fork prick dough in several places. Bake tart in middle of oven until pastry is golden and cooked through, 40 to 45 minutes. Cool tart in skillet on a rack 15 minutes.
• Invert a rimmed serving plate slightly larger than skillet over skillet and, wearing oven mitts and keeping plate firmly pressed against skillet, invert tart onto plate. Arrange any loose pears on tart and spoon sauce from plate onto tart. Serve tart warm or at room temperature.

PEAR-CRANBERRY SHORTCAKE

Steps:

• Lightly grease an 8x8x2-inch square baking pan. Set aside.
• FOR SHORTCAKE:
• In a large bowl, combine flour, the granulated sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, baking soda, and salt.
• Using a pastry blender, cut in the 1/2 cup butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
• Stir in currants.
• Combine milk, sour cream and egg; add to flour mixture.
• Stir just to moisten.
• Spread the dough in prepared pan.
• Bake in a 450 degree F oven for 15 to 20 minutes or until a wooden toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean.
• Cool in pan for 10 minutes.
• Remove from pan.
• FOR THE TOPPING:
• In a large skillet, melt the 2 tablespoons butter over medium heat; stir in the brown sugar and nutmeg until combined.
• Add pears. Cook, uncovered, for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
• Add cranberries.
• Cook, uncovered, for 3 minutes more or until cranberries pop.
• Remove from heat.
• Let stand for 5 minutes.
• Serve the shortcake warm topped with fruit mixture and whipped dessert topping.

CORNMEAL POUND CAKE WITH ROSEMARY SYRUP, POACHED PEARS, AND CANDIED ROSEMARY

Steps:

• For pears:
• Combine first 6 ingredients in large saucepan. Stir over medium heat until sugar dissolves. Add pears and bring syrup to boil, turning pears occasionally. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer until pears are tender, about 20 minutes. Chill pears uncovered in syrup until cold, at least 3 hours. DO AHEAD Can be made 2 days ahead. Cover and keep chilled.
• For pound cake:
• Preheat oven to 325°F. Butter and flour 9x5x3-inch metal loaf pan. Whisk flour and cornmeal in medium bowl to blend. Using electric mixer, beat butter in large bowl until light and fluffy. Gradually beat in sugar, then salt. Drizzle in beaten eggs by tablespoonfuls, beating constantly, then beat in vanilla. Add dry ingredients in 3 additions, beating just to blend after each addition. Transfer batter to prepared pan.
• Bake cake until brown on top and tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 1 hour 15 minutes. Cool cake in pan 15 minutes. Turn cake out onto rack and cool completely. DO AHEAD Can be made 1 day ahead. Wrap in foil and store at room temperature.
• For syrup and candied rosemary:
• Bring 1 cup sugar and 1/2 cup water to simmer in medium saucepan over medium-high heat, stirring until sugar dissolves. Add rosemary sprigs. Simmer until syrup reduces slightly, swirling pan occasionally, about 5 minutes. Using tongs, transfer rosemary sprigs to rack and drain. Cover and reserve rosemary syrup.
• Pour baker's sugar into shallow bowl. Add drained rosemary sprigs to sugar, 1 at a time, turning to coat thickly. Place on paper towels. Dry at least 1 hour. DO AHEAD Can be made 1 day ahead. Let sprigs and syrup stand at room temperature.
• Cut dark ends off cake. Cut eight 1/2- to 3/4-inch-thick cake slices. Cut each slice diagonally in half. Arrange 2 halves on each plate. Drain pears. Stand 1 pear on each plate. Drizzle each dessert with reserved rosemary syrup and garnish with candied rosemary sprig. Serve, passing remaining syrup separately.

GLAZED PEAR SHORTCAKES

Steps:

• In a small cast-iron skillet, saute pears in butter until tender. Remove from the heat; stir in spreadable fruit. , Place cake slices on 4 dessert dishes; top with pear mixture, walnuts and whipped topping.

PEACHES WITH CORNMEAL SHORTCAKES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, cornmeal, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and granulated sugar. Using the large holes on a box grater, grate butter into flour mixture. Using your fingers, incorporate butter into flour mixture, breaking it into even smaller pieces. With a fork, stir in buttermilk until dough just comes together. Lightly flour a rolling pin and work surface and roll out dough to a 3/4-inch-thick rectangle. Cut into 6 squares (or rectangles).
• Place dough squares, 3 inches apart, on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Brush tops with buttermilk and sprinkle with granulated sugar. Bake until shortcakes are golden and puffed, 17 to 20 minutes. Let cool completely on a wire rack.
• In a medium bowl, using an electric mixer, beat cream and confectioners' sugar on high until stiff peaks form, about 3 minutes. Cut shortcakes in half horizontally. Divide peaches among bottom halves, top with whipped cream and blueberries, and sandwich with top halves.