Upside-Down Caramel Pear Torte with Cinnamon and Fresh Cranberries
Yield: 6-8
"This gorgeous and glistening dessert is deceptively easy to make and truly one of the prettiest presentations I know of for a festive table. As the seasons progress, you may substitute plums, apricots or nectarines for the pears and scatter with seasonal berries as your imagination dictates!" — PCC Chef Lynne Vea
Ingredients
PreparationIngredients
- 12 tablespoons butter (divided) Add to list
- 1/2 cup dark brown sugar Add to list
- 2 semi-ripe pears, quartered, cored and sliced Add to list
- 1/4 cup fresh cranberries Add to list
- 1/2 cup milk Add to list
- 1 egg Add to list
- 1 1/2 cups flour Add to list
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon Add to list
- 2 teaspoons baking powder Add to list
- 1/2 teaspoon salt Add to list
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar Add to list
- 1/2 teaspoon almond or vanilla extract Add to list
Preparation
Preheat the oven to 400° F.
In a 9-inch cake pan spread 4 tablespoons of butter thickly over the surface. Sprinkle with the brown sugar. Distribute the pears, curved side down, over the surface of the brown sugar mixture. Scatter with the cranberries. Set aside.
In a small pan, melt the remaining 8 tablespoons of butter. Remove from heat and stir in the egg and milk. Beat well.
Mix the flour, cinnamon, baking powder, salt and granulated sugar in a bowl and add the butter-egg-milk mixture. Beat until smooth, and stir in the almond or vanilla extract. Pour the batter over the pears and bake for about 35 to 40 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean. Let the pan cool for 5 minutes then turn out onto a serving plate.
Serve with whipped cream or ice cream.
Recipe by , PCC Chef
Source: Demonstrated on KING 5's "Gardening with Ciscoe" show aired on December 13, 2008
ABOUT OUR CHEF: Lynne Vea
Lynne Vea is a graduate of the Executive Chef Program at Le Cordon Bleu, Paris and has been cooking with PCC Natural Markets since 2001. Featured on King-5’s "Gardening with Ciscoe," she demonstrates easy and delicious recipes using seasonal ingredients.
Lynne is an admired PCC Cooks instructor, teaching a variety of popular PCC Cooks classes throughout the year.
She loves to collect old cookbooks, hunt for wild berries, and cook seven-course dinners where the guests are encouraged to dance and cavort between courses.
Find more recipes from Lynne.
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