Poached Pear Gingerbread Cakes
Serves 4
Note: This can be made to serve 6 too. Just increase the number of pears to 6, use the same amount of gingerbread cake dividing it amongst the 6 mini pie pans, and bake less about 16-18 minutes. This will result in a shorter layer of cake, but be just as good. The poached pears can be made 3 days in advance, kept in the fridge in an airtight container.
Ingredients:
For the red wine poached pears-- 1 (750 ml) bottle fruity red wine (ex. Merlot, Bordeaux, Beaujolais, Cabernet)
- 3/4 cup (150 g) granulated sugar
- Peel of 1 orange, or 2 lemons or 2 clementines
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 4 whole cloves
- 1/4 tsp grated/ground nutmeg
- 1 star anise (optional)
- 4 small firm but ripe pears (Bosc, Anjou, Conference, or Williams NOT Bartlett or Comice)
For the Gingerbread cakes-
- 1 cup (125 g) all-purpose flour
- 1 tbsp (5 g) cocoa powder
- ½ tsp baking soda
- ¼ tsp salt
- 1 tsp ground ginger
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/8 tsp ground cloves
- 1/8 tsp ground nutmeg
- ¼ cup (55 g) light brown sugar
- ¼ cup (60 ml) molasses
- 1/3 cup (80 ml) milk (any kind)
- 4 tbsp (56 g) butter, melted
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 large egg, room temp
- 1 egg yolk
For serving-
- Ice cream (vanilla, cinnamon, or rum raisin)
- Caramel sauce (optional)
- Granola (optional)
Directions:
- Start by poaching the pears. This can be done up to 3 days in advance.
- Pour the wine into a large-medium saucepan (like the Emile Henry Sublime line of dutch ovens) that can hold all the pears fully submerged (add water as needed to cover the pears). Add the sugar, citrus peel, and spices. Then bring to a boil.
- While the liquid is coming to a boil, peel the pears.
- Once a boil has been reached, turn the heat down to a low simmer and add the pears. If needed, turn the pears in the liquid to fully and evenly poach.
- Cook about 45 minutes to one hour until they are a beautiful red color and a knife can be inserted into the pears with no resistance. *Cooking time will depend on the size of your pears, the type, and firmness.
- Remove the pears from the liquid and let cool.
- Now don’t throw out that poaching liquid… it’s now a beautiful vin chaud. Take a sip, adjust the amount of sugar by adding more if needed, and enjoy with the gingerbread cakes!
- Butter 4 mini pie pans by Emile Henry and place on a baking sheet.
- In a bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients (flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, salt, and spices).
- In another bowl, whisk together the remaining ingredients. Slowly add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, whisking well.
- Divide between the prepared pans and spread out to evenly coat the bottom.
- Cut each pear in half keeping the top near the stem intact. Carefully remove the core and then cut each half in half, again keeping the top portion intact. Fan out the slices and place one on top of each gingerbread cake.
- Bake 20-23 minutes or until it springs back to the touch and the cake around the pear is cooked. Serve immediately or within 2 days, bringing to room temperature or warming briefly in the oven before serving.
- Place a scoop of ice cream on top of each. Drizzle with caramel and sprinkle on a dash of granola.
Recipe by Molly J. Wilkinson of Molly J. Wilk Pastry
