Saturday, September 5, 2009

Heart and Home: Pear Cake Recipes

(My Pink Saturday post is below this one! So, check out these recipes, and then scroll down to read all about my Pink Linen.)

Here are the recipes for some delicious things to eat!




As promised yesterday, and just in time for juicy, ripe, fall pears, I'm giving you not just one, but two delicious Pear Cake recipes. Eat all your dinner, but be sure to save room for dessert!


Cake #1: Crackly pear cake (scroll down to yesterday's Foodie Friday post, or click here for more pictures)

INGREDIENTS:
2 cups flour
1 1/2 cups sugar
3/4 cup cold unsalted butter (1 1/2 sticks), cut into small pieces
1/8 tsp. salt
3/4 cup milk
2 large eggs
3 tbsp. flour
zest of 1 large lemon (1 tbsp.)
1 tbsp.baking powder
1 tsp. almond extract
2 cups pears (peeled, cored, and cut into 1/2 chunks)
1 large egg white
2 tbsp. sugar


Grease and flour a 9 or 10 inch spring form pan. With a pastry blender or fork, blend first 4 ingredients together until crumbly. Press 1 cup of mixture over bottom and 1/2 inch up sides of spring form pan.


Whisk together next 5 ingredients, stir remaining crumb mixture into milk mixture until blended (will still be lumpy), fold in pears. Pour into spring form pan.

Beat egg white until foamy, add 2 tbsp. sugar, beat until soft peaks form. Spread over batter.


Bake in 350 degree oven 65 minutes. Cool 30 minutes on a wire rack, remove sides of pan and finish cooling. Makes one 9 - 10 inch cake. (12 servings) YUM!




Cake #2: Almond Pear Cake

INGREDIENTS:
5 small ripe pears (Bartlett work well)
1 1/2 cups blanched almonds
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup flour
1 tsp. baking powder
10 tbsp. unsalted butter, melted
4 large eggs
1/4 cup milk
2 tsp. vanilla extract
2 tbsp. sliced almonds
1/2 cup apricot preserves


Preheat oven to 350 degrees. grease a 2 1/2 quart (or 15 1/2" x 9 1/2") baking dish. Peel, halve and core pears. Halve lengthwise, cut each piece into 4 slices leaving stem end intact.

In food processor, finely grind almonds with sugar. Add flour and baking powder, pulse to mix. In large bowl whisk butter, eggs, milk, and vanilla until mixed, stir in almond mixture. Pour batter into prepared dish - spread evenly. Place pear pieces on batter, push down into top of batter, sprinkle sliced almonds on top.


Bake 40 - 45 minutes until browned and firm. Cool on wire rack. Melt preserves in small saucepan (or microwave), brush over cake top. For best flavor serve warm or at room temp. Great with whipped or ice cream. Delicious!

Eat your dessert, it's good for you!
Until next time
XO
Heidi

For the first time, I took part in Foodie Friday at Designs by Gollum!! Hope to see you there again some time~!

9 comments:

Char said...

Oh my that sounds so good, thankyou for sharing with us. Happy Pink Saturday to you and yours, Char

Mary Bergfeld said...

Both these cakes sound delicious. Thank you for sharing them with us. Have a wonderful day.

Blondie's Journal said...

Heidi,

Both recipes look scrumptious!! I like the sound of the crackly one!! Also love those pretty watercolors. Are they yours??

xoxo
Janie

Just Me said...

Happy Pink Saturday. I loved both posts.
Patti

Heidi said...

Hi Ladies!
Glad you like the recipes, believe me they are so tasty!
Yes, Janie, I'm a little embarassed, but the watercolors are ones I did quite a few years ago. I didn't want to re-post the same old pictures from yesterday, so thought they would work as illustrations. Obviously I am a real amateur, but I really enjoy messing around with my paints!
Heidi

Brenda Pruitt said...

Well, I'm loving your dishes up there as well!
Brenda

NicNacManiac said...

Heidi,
Love the Pear dishes...think I will try one out tomorrow!!
Your pictures sure make them look yummy!!
Enjoy the rest of your day!!

Amisha said...

Ooh the recipes look delicious! Now did you paint those watercolors?

Charenn29 said...

great post, I really like it. Thanks for posting. :)