One of the things I like most about the autumn it the cooler temperatures which call for heartier meals.  One doesn't mind heating up the kitchen when the temperatures outside are dropping and indeed, something hearty and warming is more than welcome at this time of year.

 

The nights are drawing in, and there's a definitely crisp feeling to the air.  It's time to get back to real cooking, comfort food . . . food which fills the belly, warms the heart and helps to hold warm up those chilled bones.

 

This is my favourite time of year.  It is a time when there is wonderful seasonal food in abundance . . . ham, broad beans, apples, pears, potatoes, onions, leeks, cabbages, cauliflowers, corn, pumpkins, squashes and tomatoes  . . . it's all good.

Bonfire night is looming in just a few weeks now as is Halloween.  It doesn't seem possible that the year is that far gone already . . . but that nip in the air tells me it is so.

 

This is the perfect time for this hearty casserole . . . a store cupboard favourite which uses simple ingredients, combined in a simple way . . . and simply baked, with  fabulously delicious results.

Todd has always said he doesn't like butter beans, but when I do them this way, he always comes back for seconds.  I love it when that happens . . . aside from Pasta nights, I really do want him to be happy with what I put in front of him at supper time.

 

Most of the time he is, and when I make him happy, I make me happy as well.  I do hope you will give this tasty and easy casserole a go.  I just know you will like it.  Delicious.  Easy.  Economical.

What more could you want?  I like to serve it with my own homemade Brown Batter Bread.  You can find the recipe for that over on my Recipes From the Big Blue Binder Blog.  (Bet you didn't know I also cooked over there too.  Well, now you do.  I don't cook as often over there as I do here, but I believe that it's worth a visit when I do.)

 

*Baked Butter Beans*
Serves 8
Printable Recipe

If you thought you didn't like butter beans, think again.  These are fabulous.

60g of butter, melted (1/4 cup)
110g of sour cream (1/2 cup)
100g of soft light brown sugar (1/2 cup)
2 TBS light molasses
1 1/2 tsp dry mustard powder
pinch salt
4 (400g) tins of butter beans, drained (15 ounce tins)

Preheat the oven to 180*C/350*F/ gas mark 4.   Butter a 3 liter baking dish.  Set aside.

Rinse the butter beans and then put them into a bowl.  Mix together the melted butter, sour cream, brown sugar, molasses and dry mustard.  Pour this over the butter beans and toss gently together to mix.  Pour into the prepared baking dish.  Cover tightly.  Bake for 30 minutes.  Uncover and bake for 30 to 50 minutes longer, until the liquid begins to cook away but not until they are dry.  Serve hot.

Note:  you can make this a day or so ahead and then reheat gently just prior to serving.  They are also delicious with cubes  of ham, bits of bacon or pancetta,  or sliced smoked frankfurters added prior to baking.

Have I ever confided in you that I just adore Pears??? Well . . . it's true. They are  my favourite of all the autumn fruits . . . ok . .. so I say that about everything.  I guess I am just a glutton at heart . . . but I do LOVE pears an awful lot!


Red, green . . . yellow.  Tall thin hard ones like the Conference pear . . . or short red and fat round Bartletts . . . Williams, Comice . . . d'Anjou . . . I have no preference.  If it's a pear, I am well acquainted with it's finer qualities and . . . well, I love them.  Ohhh . . . tiny little Seckles . . .

 Pickled, canned, jammed, chutney'd or poached . . . if it's a pear . . . I'm there.  (I know I am corny.)

 

I love to eat them raw . . . perfectly ripe and sweet . . .  so ripe and so juicy that you need to hold them in a napkin to keep the juices from running down your chin and on to your sweater . . .



I love to eat them still slightly crisp . . . unpeeled and sliced into salads . . . especially nice with blue cheese crumbled over top . . . some nicely toasted walnuts sprinkled about . . . and a tangy vinaigrette dressing just to offset the sweetness of the pears, that creaminess of the cheese, the crunch of the walnuts . . . and if you include endive or chicory leaves . . . so beautiful with that bitter edge.



Tucked into cakes, pies, breads, muffins  . . . I love them all. 



This week I  came up with a favourite  new way to eat them . . . Pear Dumplings.  Stuffed with mincemeat . . . wrapped in  puff pastry, sprinkled with demerara sugar . . . and baked until the pastry is crisp and golden, the pear is just tender . . . and the mincemeat having spiced that beautiful pear from the inside out . . . oozingly delicious when you break your fork into that tender flesh.

 

A spicy little hidden surprise . . . lashings of custard are a must.



*Pear and Mincemeat Dumplings*
Makes 4 servings
Printable Recipe

This is not a dessert for the faint of heart . . . make sure you bring your appetite!  Impressive and delicious!

4 firm conference pears, with stems attached
4 heaped dessertspoons of your favourite mincemeat
1 packet of ready rolled all butter puff pastry
1 free range egg, beaten
demerara sugar to sprinkle
Icing sugar to dust
warm custard to serve

Have all of your ingredients ready to go.  Preheat the oven to 200*C/400*F/ gas mark 6.  Have a baking tray ready that you have lined with baking paper. 

Unroll your pastry.  Cut a two inch slice off of one end and cut it into 4 squares. Place each square leaving space in between them onto the lined baking sheet. 

Peel your pears and cut a slice off of the bottom of each so that they will stand upright.  Using the small end of  a melon baller, go in through the bottom and scoop out the seeds, discarding them.  Stuff this core with mincemeat.  Place each stuffed pear onto one square of the puff pastry.  Brush the remaining puff pastry with the beaten egg and cut into narrow, long strips, about 1/3 inch in width.  Wind the pastry squares around each pear, folding the edges of the squares on the bottom up inside and covering the pears completely, leaving just the stem sticking out the top.  Sprinkle with demerara sugar.

Bake for 15 to 20 minutes in the heated oven until golden brown.  Remove from the oven.  Allow to cool for several minutes.  Dust with icing sugar.  Lift each pear carefully into a dessert bowl.  Ladle warm custard around and serve.

 

I have long been a fan of the Geeta's Premium Mango Chutney.  I love that it has texture and flavor and spices that you can really see in it. It has an authentic Indian flavour, which I love.

I have also been a fan of the cheese over here in the UK . . . there is a huge variety of cheeses . . each one individual to the area which produces it.  When I was recently contacted and asked if I would like to try Joseph Heler's new Red Leicester blended with Authentic Indian Chutney, I jumped at the chance.

Joseph Helers have teamed up with Geeta’s, the best-selling premium Indian chutney brand, to create the next big thing in the cheese world. After months of product development and innovate research, the combined efforts of Joseph Heler Cheese and Geeta’s Foods has resulted in this pioneering marriage of Indian chutney and cheese that is set to take your taste buds by storm. 

   

Not only because it comes from Cheshire (the county I live in) but also because it is a cheese which has been blended with my favourite kind of chutney!

I love cheese mixes . . . Wensleydale with Cranberries . . . Stilton with apricots . . . they have long been my favourite types of cheese, especially when served with crackers, and so I was really looking forward to taste testing this new variety.

From the Joseph Heler page:  Joseph Heler's heritage in cheesemaking stretches back for more than half a century. Located just outside the market town of Nantwich, the Joseph Heler creamery is situated in the heart of the Cheshire countryside.

Family owned and run, the company maintains a passion for its cheese-making and is totally committed to providing consumers with top quality products.  



First we tried it fresh out of the package and at room temperature with some crackers.  I have to say . . . without prejudice . . . this is one very tasty cheese.  It has a lovely spreadable texture and is so mellow.  In short, it was just lovely.  My mind started racing . . . thinking about different ways I could use it . . . although I have to say that I could have very happily just sat and ate the whole piece, just on it's own with crackers.

But this is The English Kitchen . . . and my kitchen is about cooking . . . using fresh and local produce and ingredients . . . and about pushing the boundaries of the traditional and creating new things which are traditionally NOT traditional, if you know what I mean . . .



Nothing goes together better than grilled cheese toasties and Tomato Soup . . . so I began to think about grilled cheese toasties made with this lovely cheese . . . but then . . . with a cheese with Indian flavors . . . why not a tomato soup with Indian flavors??

 

I decided to make a curried tomato soup . . . lightly spiced and warm . . . filled with the flavors of curry powder, coriander, cumin and chili . . . oh, and coconut . . . a very common curry ingredient.



And then I decided to top this lovely warm soup with some crisp little toastie croutons made with toasted bread and this lovely cheese.

 

Know what???  It all worked beautifully together and I have created a delicious new favourite.  Todd always says he doesn't like tomato soup . . . but he always loves mine.  I think that's because I always make mine that tiny little bit different than the tinned one he grew up with.

 

I mean . . . homemade is always infinitely better isn't it?



*Curried Tomato Soup*
makes 8 cups
Printable Recipe

Complex flavors and so delicious.  Light and comforting.  The perfect soup for a cold and rainy day.

1 TBS coconut oil
3 cloves of garlic, peeled and finely minced
1 medium onion, peeled and finely chopped
2 (400g) tins of chopped tomatoes in tomato juice (about 4 cups)
1 tsp each of curry powder and ground coriander
1/2 tsp each of ground cumin, chili powder, granulated sugar and salt
2 pints of chicken stock (4 cups)
1 (160ml) tin of coconut cream (the thick stuff, about 1/2 cup)
1/3 cup fresh coriander or parsley coarsely chopped

Optional Garnish
Little cheese toasties (I used toasted crust-less bread, cut into quarters,
topped with the Red Leicester Blended with Authentic Indian Chutney and then
grilled until oozingly melted)
Thick plain yogurt

Heat the coconut oil in a large saucepan over medium low heat until hot.  Add the garlic and onions.  Cook, stirring until softened, some 5 to 8 minutes.  Add the spices and sugar.  Cook, stirring until very fragrant.  Add the tomatoes and the chicken stock.  Bring to the boil, then reduce to a simmer and cook for 20 to 25 minutes.  Stir in the coconut cream.  Cook for a further 5 minutes.  Blitz with a stick blender until smooth.  Taste and adjust seasoning as necessary.  (You can also blitz in a blender.  Do take care.)  Stir in the fresh coriander or parsley.  Ladle into heated soup bowls and if using, float a couple of little cheese toasties on top.  Alternately you may garnish with a dollop of thick plain yoghurt.



Joseph Heler’s Red Leicester with Authentic Indian Chutney will hit stores from Monday 15th October and is not to be missed.

This exciting new premium cheese will be sold on Tesco Deli’s throughout the country. The flavours of chunky mango and whole spices in Geeta’s Premium Mango chutney naturally combine with our mellow yet slightly zesty Red Leicester cheese to create a perfectly balanced sweet/savoury flavour.

This blend of Indian flavors is also an extremely versatile cheese . . . delicious on naan bread pizza, melted over slow roasted tomatoes or used to create the ultimate cheese on toast . . . just some of the ways this product can be used to create the perfect dish or accompaniment.

 Many thanks to Joseph Heller and  Laura for having afforded me this most delicious opportunity.

 

I baked this lovely cake at the weekend to take to our Thanksgiving get-together.  I had decided that the tarts were not very portable and I wanted something that would stand up to the trip in the car.  I know that Thanksgiving usually means Pumpkin Pie for a lot of people . . . but Pumpkin Pie is something a lot of people either love or loathe.   I wanted to bring a dessert that I felt would be enjoyed by most of the guests.



Although this recipe does make use of a cake mix, that doesn't mean it hasn't any value or that it doesn't taste homemade.  In North American you can use a Yellow Cake Mix, but I have found over here in the UK, where cake mixes are not all that available you can use a Betty Crocker Carrot Cake Mix with excellent results.

 

With very little effort you end up with a cake that is very moist and quite delicious.  Basically for the cake you tip all of the ingredients into a bowl and then beat them up.  There is a luscious brown sugar and walnut praline topping, which is also spooned into the center of the cake before baking, which becomes a delicious filling, adding to it's deliciousness in a delightful way.



After the cake is baked and tipped out of the pan, and while it is still warm, you reheat the topping, stir in a bit of cream and then spoon it slowly over the top of the cake, allowing it to drip down the sides and into all of those lovely grooves and crevices.  That is why it is nice to use a bundt pan which gives you all those pretty curves.



Served with a huge dollop of whipped cream, this is a firm holiday favourite in this house and I am sure it will become a favourite in yours too.  You can find tinned pumpkin in Sainsbury's or Waitrose, or you can very easily make your own, simply by steaming pumpkin until it is cooked through, mashing and then draining it in a mesh strainer over a colander to remove as much of the liquid as possible.  Once you have done that, you can proceed  as per the recipe.  You will need about 2 cups, well drained.

 

You can find a recipe for making your own pumpkin pie spice in my right hand side bar about halfway down the page.  Now you have no excuses for not making it!  Enjoy!  Perfect with a nice dollop of whipped cream!

 

 *Pumpkin Spice Cake*
Serves 12
Printable Recipe

A deliciously moist spice cake with a lucious praline topping.  This is a winner all round!

1 (18 ounce) box of yellow cake mix
(Here in the UK, you can use a Betty Crocker Carrot Cake mix, with great results)
1 (15 ounce) tin of pumpkin
3/4 cup soft light brown sugar, packed (150g)
1/2 cup safflower oil (125ml)
2 tsp pumpkin pie spice (mixed spice) (see my sidebar to make your own)
4 large eggs

For the topping:
1/2 cup butter (115g)
1/2 cup packed soft light brown sugar (100g)
1/2 cup pecans, toasted and chopped (120g)
(2 TBS double Cream to finish)

Preheat the oven to 180*C/350*F/ gas mark 4.  Generously grease a large bundt tin and dust it lightly with flour, tapping out any excess.  Set aside.

Place the cake mix, pumpkin, sugar, oil and spice into a large bowl.  Beat with an electric mixer for about 1 minute.  Beat in the eggs for 2 minutes longer, until well combined. 

Melt the butter along with the brown sugar for the topping in a small saucepan.  Stir in the nuts.  Remove from the heat.

Pour half of the cake batter into the prepared pan.  Spoon a very small amount of the topping into the center of the batter all the way around, being careful not to touch the sides.  Top with the remaining cake batter.

Bake for 45 minutes to one hour, until the cake tests done and springs back when lightly touched, and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.  Allow to sit in the pan for 15 minutes before turning out onto a plate.  Allow to cool completely.

Gently reheat the topping over medium low heat, whisking in the cream.  Spoon this mixture over top of the cake, allowing it to drip down the sides.

*Note* - I often double the topping ingredients.

This weekend is the Canadian Thanksgiving. Generally speaking, Thanksgiving is not celebrated over here in the UK, or at least not the Canadian one at any rate. It's quite possible that you may find a small fuss being made over the American one, as there must be a lot of Americans living over here. Put it this way . . . there is never any difficulty finding cranberries, tinned pumpkin or turkeys around the end of November . . . but second Sunday in October?? Very difficult, if not close to impossible to find.

 

 I've never quite been able to understand why the Americans celebrate Thanksgiving so late in the year, almost on top of Christmas as it were . . . let's face it there is not really a lot of harvesting going on at the end of November, and if Thanksgiving is supposed to be a holiday to celebrate thanks for the great harvest . . . it makes better sense that it would come closer to the end of summer, rather than almost on top of the beginning of winter . . . but meh . . . that's just me I guess.  I like Thanksgiving no matter when it occurs.  In fact, I like Thanksgiving so much I would celebrate it on both the Canadian and American days if I could!

 

I like the fact that the Canadian one comes right at Harvest time . . . and I like the fact that the American one sort of ushers in the Holiday Season of good cheer!  I'm not hard to please.  I just like celebrating and any holiday celebrated with special foods is a.o.k. in my books!

 

Most years I haven't been able to celebrate any Thanksgiving at all.  When I worked down South for the American family, I was always working on the Canadian Thanksgiving, and . . .  no surprise here . . . I was always working on the American one too!!  Go figure!  I always spent days getting things ready for their dinner . . . and I never even got to enjoy a plate of dinner myself.  (I know . . . . it was kinda weird the way that went.)



Anyways, what's the point to all of this??  Well, this year I am actually celebrating Thanksgiving and with some fellow Canadians too!  Hooray!!  I am in charge of desserts.  I searched online to find something that would be really special and I found this recipe for these tarts that looked really nice on the Canadian LCBO page.  There are a lot of nice looking recipes on there.  It sounded really nice, and unusual.

 

The flavors were very autumnal sounding and definitely celebratory . . . sweet roasted parsnip ribbons, a lemony goat's cheese filling . . . a buttery oatmeal cookie crust. What's not to like about that???  Tasty and quite unusual I'd say!  But when you can't find tinned pumpkin to make a pumpkin pie . . . one must adapt.



They turned out quite nicely . . . but I wouldn't say they are altogether transportable.  They're quite delicate and so I am going to make something else to take.  But if you are going to be staying home, do give them a try, and not just at Thanksgiving either.  I think these would be fabulous at any special dinner, but only if you are eating it at home.



*Cinnamon Roasted Parsnip and Lemon Goats Cheese Tarts*
Makes 6 servings
Printable Recipe

This unusual dessert will have your guests guessing!!  It's delicious!

For the crust:
300g of fine crunchy oat cookie crumbs (something like a hob nob, 2 cups)
pinch salt
115g of unsalted butter, melted (1/2 cup)

For the Roasted Parsnips:
2 medium fresh parsnips, peeled and trimmed
100g of soft light brown muscovado sugar (1/2 cup Packed)
2 TBS fresh lemon juice
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1 TBS unsalted butter

For the Lemon Goats Cheese Filling:
125g (4 ounces) fresh soft goats cheese
95g of golden caster sugar (1/2 cup)
1 TBS freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 tsp finely grated lemon zest from an un-waxed lemon
1 large free range egg

Preheat the oven to 160*C/325*F/ gas mark 3.  Butter six 4 inch tart tins, with removable bottoms.  Place them on a baking sheet.

Combine the cookie crumbs with the melted butter and salt for the crust.  Divide this mixture equally amongst the tart tins. Press the crumbs firmly into each pan bottom and up the sides all around.  Bake for 8 minutes.  Set aside to cool completely.

To do the parsnips, using a vegetable peeler, peel long shavings of parsnip off of each until you reach the core inside, peeling off as many as you can.  Toss the ribbons of parsnip in a small casserole dish along with the lemon juice, brown sugar and cinnamon.  Dot with butter, cover and bake until tender, about 20 minutes.  Remove from the oven and allow to cool completely.  Arrange these roasted parsnip ribbons in the bottoms of the cooled tart shells.

Beat the soft goats cheese together with the sugar.  Whisk in the lemon juice, lemon zest and the egg.  Spoon this mixture over the parsnips, dividing it equally amongst the tarts and covering the parsnips completely.  Bake for 15 to 18 minutes until set.  Cool to room temperature.  Chill for at least three hours before serving.

If desired garnish with some sifted icing sugar and a few sprinkles of lemon zest.

Notes:  Things I would do if making these again.

1.  I found that my parsnips were not tender in the allotted time.  It took far longer and they ended up being more candied, than roasted.  If I make them again (and I do think I will) I will cut the parsnips into small cubes or batons and parboil them for a few minutes before roasting them for a shorter period of time so that they are more roasted and less chewy.

2.  I also would only use half the amount of brown sugar and lemon juice and butter.  I felt the quantities were far too much for the amount of parsnips.

3.  I would make 4 tarts instead of 6, making them a bit deeper and having the final cook time for a tiny bit longer in order for the goats cheese cheesecake mix to cook through.  I thought these tarts, whilst delicious were a tad bit on the skimpy side as far as filling went.

4.  Although the cookie crust is very nice, I think I would opt to use either short crust pastry next time, or filo pastry.  I didn't think that the cookie crumb crust held up very well, despite baking it twice.

We sure have missed being surrounded by Orchards up here in Chester. When we were down South, we were able to just walk out our back door in the autumn and go scrumping for apples . . . lovely windfalls.  There was no end to the baked goodies and treats I cold make.  Although we now have our own apple tree, for some reason this year we had not even one apple on it.  Quite a disappointment, to say the least!
We were lucky though, in that a few days ago, our landlord gifted us with a couple of bags of lovely organic apples from his back garden.



Oh how lovely they were, all big and juicy.  As soon as I saw them I had in mind to make applesauce with them.  They were just perfect for it.

Todd and I love to sit down with a bowl of applesauce in the evenings sometimes, and it's so much better when the applesauce is homemade!  You just can't beat homemade applesauce.



We like it a bit chunky and not totally pureed and not overly sweet.  This recipe helps you to tailor the sweetness and texture to your own tastes.



*Applesauce*
Makes about 3 cups
Printable Recipe

This recipe  basically calls for your own taste judgment.  If your apples are very  tart, you won't need as much lemon juice, but you may need more sugar.   The trick is to taste it as you go along and add only as much as you  think the apples need.

4 large firm apples, peeled, cored and cut into eighths
4 ounces water (1/2 cup)
sugar to taste
3 TBS lemon juice

Place  the apples and water into a large skillet over medium heat.  Cook,  stirring often until the apples become tender and begin to break down,  about 5 to 6 minutes.  Add sugar to taste and the lemon juice.  Stir to  blend well.  Cook for another 3 to 4 minutes.  Remove from the heat and  mash with a fork.



And then . . .  if you are lucky enough to have enough apples to make a big pot of applesauce, you can use some of it to make this delicious teabread!  Oh my but this is soooo good.

It is hard to resist cutting in to it when it is fresh out of the oven . . . oh so spicy and warmly delicious.



It does have a tendency to fall apart if you don't let it sit overnight though . . . but I confess, I've never been good at waiting for anything!  If you're better at that  than me though, wrap it up and let it sit overnight.  You'll get much nicer slices that way.



*Applesauce Tea Bread*
Makes one 9 by 5 inch loaf, cutting into 14 slices
Printable Recipe

A  delicious moist and spicy tea bread that gets even better upon  standing.  This will taste even better on the second day if you can wait  that long!

7 1/2 ounces plain flour (1 3/4 cups)
1/8 tsp salt
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground cloves
1/4 tsp freshly grated nutmeg
8 ounces unsalted butter (1 cup)
3 1/2 ounces white sugar (1/2 cup)
3 3/4 ounces soft light brown sugar (1/2 cup packed)
2 tsp cold water
1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
250ml measure of applesauce (homemade or store bought) (1 cup)
5 1/4 ounces sultana raisins (1 cup)
2 ounces chopped toasted walnuts (1/2 cup)

Preheat  the oven to 180*C/350*F/ gas mark 4.  Butter a 9 by 5 inch metal loaf  tin. Line with baking paper and then butter the baking paper.  Set  aside.

Whisk together the flour and spices.  Set aside.

Cream  together the butter and both sugars until light.  Place cold water in a  bowl and stir in the bicarbonate of soda until dissolved.  Stir this  into the applesauce.  It will foam up.  Stir this mixture into the  creamed mixture, mixing it in well.  Fold in the flour mixture, mixing  to combine.  Stir in the sultanas and nuts.

Spoon the batter  into the prepared baking tin.  Bake in the preheated oven for 1 hour 10  minutes, until well risen, nicely browned and a toothpick inserted into  the centre comes out clean.

Remove from the oven.  Leave in the pan for ten minutes before turning out onto a wire rack to finish cooling.

Serve warm or at room temperature.

Please Note - This recipe does not call for any eggs.  I haven't left them out.

For the past several days we've had an Italian cooking in my Kitchen, so today I thought I would run with the European Theme,  and show you something that is quite typically French. The French and English share a somewhat tenuous love/hate relationship I think . . . we've come to love their cafe culture and flock over the channel in hordes to partake of their lovely foods and cheeses . . . and yet at the same time . . . we're not quite ready to embrace them as a people . . . nor are they ready to embrace us I don't think.  I think perhaps they will always see us a little bit as intruders . . . and more than a little bit crazy.

 

They think we work too hard . . . we eat too fast . . . we don't know how to relax .  .  .  our cheeses are boring (NOT) and the only thing we know how to cook properly  is Roast Beef.  We think they have a tendency to be a bit laisser faire about life . . . they take too long to eat . . . they eat far too much garlic, and they are missing cheddar in their cheese shops (only the best cheese in the world, lol) . . . not to mention, they eat some pretty strange things like escargots and frogs legs . . .  oh, and all  the men have mistresses . . .
(Note . . . these are only random generalizations . . . and not the way I really think.  I am merely taking a fun poke at things.  My father is French.)

 

In reality, I love French food and patisserie . . . I always have done . . . especially the rustic country fare . . . and who does bread better than the French???   I don't think anyone can beat their bread . . . the first thing I do when we go across to Calais on the Ferry is to indulge in a fresh Almond Croissant . . . and don't get me started on their Macarons . . . I just adore them.  I could quite happily spend a week in a French Patisserie, indulging all of my whims and pastry fantasies.

 

This cake here today is a recipe which I gleaned from one of my favourite cookery books "Under the Walnut Tree, great recipes from our kitchen" by mother and daughter,  Anna and Fanny Bergenstrom.  No, they are not French.  They're Swedish, but their cooking is a happy mix of all things European, including this lovely cake, entitled "Granny's French Pear and Almond Cake."

 

It's a lovely cake, gluten free . . . loaded with beautiful ripe pears . . . ground almonds  . . . and I added a touch of ground cardamom as pears and cardamom are such a quintessentially beautiful partnership and marriage of flavours.

 

The end result is a cake that is a beautiful light . . .  almost ethereal . . . creation.  Simple and yet divine.  Feel free to make this in individual dishes if you wish.  That would be so sweet upon the table I think . . . for today though, I just baked it in one 8 by 10 porcelain baking dish . . . and it looked every bit as lovely as it tasted.

 

Enjoy.



*French Pear, Almond and Cardamom Cake*
Serves 4 to 5
Printable Recipe

A light cake, stogged full of lovely sweet pears, ground almonds and just the merest hint of cardamom, which goes so very well with the pear.  Serve warm with some pouring cream.  If I am not mistaken this is also gluten free.

100g of ground almonds (19 TBS)
2 TBS butter, softened for buttering the dish
4 large firm, ripe pears
100g of butter, at room temperature (7 TBS)
100g of golden caster sugar (8 1/2 TBS)
1/4 tsp ground cardamom
pinch salt
2 medium free range eggs
2 TBS fresh lemon juice
icing sugar to dust
pouring cream or vanilla ice cream to serve

Preheat the oven to 200*C/400*F/ gas mark 6.  Butter an oven proof dish with the soft butter.

Peel your pears, core them and then cut them into thick wedges.  Arrange the wedges in the prepared baking dish and then pop them into the heated oven for 10 to 15 minutes, while you mix together the batter.

Cream together the butter and caster sugar until light.  Stir in the ground almonds, cardamom and salt.  Beat in the eggs, one at a time.  Stir in the lemon juice until the mixture is smooth and combined.  Remove the baking dish from the oven and spread the almond batter over top of the pear wedges.

Return to the oven and bake for a further 15 minutes. 

Dust the warm cake with some icing sugar and serve either  on it's own, or with some pouring cream or vanilla bean ice cream.