Rosemary Anjou Pear Cake Food

ANJOU PEAR CAKE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Line a 20cm loose-bottomed cake tin with baking parchment and brush with butter.
• Put the prepared pears in a bowl with the lemon juice and Poire William, if using, to prevent them discolouring. Sieve the flour and baking powder into a bowl, adding a pinch of salt and the caster sugar. Next beat in the eggs and melted butter. Finally, fold in the pears with their juices. Pour the cake mixture into the tin. Bake for about 50 mins or until a skewer comes out clean. Place on a wire rack and allow to cool slightly before removing from the tin, gently peeling away the parchment.
• To make the glaze, melt the apricot jam with 1 tbsp water and pass through a sieve to remove any lumps. Brush the cake with the glaze, dust with icing sugar and serve warm with crème fraîche.

CHOCOLATE PEAR CAKE

Steps:

• Pre-heat oven to 350 F (180 C). Grease and flour a 9 inch cake pan.
• In a large bowl whisk together the flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
• In a small bowl mix together the yogurt and milk until combined, set aside.
• Peel, core and slice the pears.
• In a large bowl beat on medium speed the eggs, vanilla and sugar until light and fluffy, approximately 5 minutes. Then slowly add the vegetable oil and beat to combine.
• Alternately add the dry ingredients with the yogurt mixture. Beat to combine, approximately one minute.
• Pour into the prepared pan, top with pear slices (sliced side down). Sprinkle with mini chocolate chips. Bake for approximately 45 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean. Let cool then dust with powdered / icing sugar before serving. Enjoy!

PEAR UPSIDE-DOWN CAKE

Steps:

• Make the topping: Melt butter in the bottom of a 10 1/2-inch cast-iron skillet over low heat. Add brown sugar, stirring until dissolved. Swirl to coat the bottom; remove from heat, and cool. Cut pears into 1/4-inch-thick wedges, and arrange them in a circular pattern over the brown-sugar mixture to cover completely; set aside.
• Make the batter: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt; set aside.
• In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream butter and sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add vanilla extract; beat to combine. Add egg yolks, one at a time, beating to combine.
• Alternating with the milk, gradually add the flour mixture to the butter mixture, and mix, on low speed, just until the flour is incorporated.
• In a large bowl, beat reserved egg whites and the cream of tartar with a hand mixer until stiff but not dry. Using a rubber spatula, fold egg whites into the batter. Transfer to skillet. Using an offset spatula, spread the batter evenly, being careful not to disturb the pears.
• Bake until well browned on top and a cake tester inserted into the center comes out clean, about 45 minutes. Run a knife around inside of pan, and immediately invert the cake onto a serving dish. Serve warm or at room temperature.

ROSEMARY ANJOU PEAR CAKE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350°F. Wrap outside bottom and side of 9-inch springform pan with heavy-duty foil to prevent leaking. Spray inside bottom and side of pan with cooking spray. In large bowl, gently toss pears, 2 tablespoons of the sugar and the rosemary. Layer pear slices in bottom of pan.
• In large bowl, beat eggs and 1 cup plus 6 tablespoons remaining sugar with electric mixer on medium speed 2 minutes or until light and fluffy. Add oil, liqueur and orange peel, beating until blended. On low speed, beat in flour, cornmeal and salt just until blended. Pour batter over pears.
• Bake 1 hour 10 minutes to 1 hour 20 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool completely in pan on cooling rack, about 2 hours. Run knife around edge of pan to loosen cake; place heatproof serving plate upside down on pan. Turn plate and pan over. Carefully remove pan.

MARGUERITE D'ANJOU PEAR CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350Ëš Fahrenheit. Line the bottom of a 9"-round springform pan with parchment paper, then grease the bottom and sides of the pan. Set on a baking sheet and set aside.
• In a large bowl, stir together the pear chunks, lemon zest and juice and brandy. Set aside.
• Over medium heat in a large saucepan, melt the butter, being careful not to let it brown. Remove from the heat and stir in the flour, baking powder and sugar. Gradually stir in the egg whites (or two whole eggs). Fold in the pears and any accumulated juices then pour batter in the prepared cake tin. Bake in the middle of the oven for 50 minutes, or until a cake tester comes out clean.
• Cool the cake in its tin for a few minutes, then turn out and serve warm.

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.