Prettier on a plate: fig cake

Fig cake with almonds on top
It looks homely here -- I bake it in a skillet -- but it gets pretty on a plate

I decided to use figs in my pear cake recipe. Then I couldn't find that recipe. The possibility that the delicious, easy, adaptable cake would never again be made in my kitchen made me wild. I guess I've collected so many recipes that I get lost trekking through them. I did find it, finally. Once you try this cake you too will never want to lose it; it's great with apples, pears, berries, and now I know it is best of all with figs. This time I added 1/4 tsp. ground cardamom and topped it with toasted slivered almonds and a sprinkle of sugar.

Patricia Wells' pear (or fig) cake

 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, for buttering the cake pan 

2 or 3 large ripe pears (for a total weight of 1 1/2 pounds) peeled, quartered and cured, with each quarter cut into 4 slices 

7 tablespoons (3 1/2 ounces) unsalted butter, at room temperature 

1/2 cup sugar 

2 large eggs, at room temperature 

3/4 cup sifted cake flour 

2 tablespoons pear brandy or eau de vie (I skip this and add a teaspoon of vanilla.)

1. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees.

2. Butter the inside of a 10 1/2-inch springform cake pan or a tart pan with a removable bottom. Sprinkle with one teaspoon of vanilla sugar.

3. Arrange the pear slices in a circle just inside the outer edge of the pan, slightly overlapping them. Fill in the interior ring with remaining overlapping slices. Sprinkle with one tablespoon of pear brandy. (I skip the brandy and it tastes fine.)

4. In a medum-sized bowl, cream the butter and the remaining sugar with an electric mixer. Add the eggs, one by one, mixing until well blended. Add the flour and mix just until the ingredients are combined. Mix in the remaining one tablespoon of pear brandy.

5. Spoon the batter over the pears in a thin layer. Do not be concerned if the batter does not completely cover the pears, because it will spread out as it bakes.

6. Bake until the cake is firm and nicely browned, about 45 minutes. Remove from the oven to cool. To serve, unmold the cake and serve it as is, or with a dollop of whipped creme fraiche.

Yield: Eight servings.

Almond-fruit Cake for Fathers Day

Blueberry-almond cake

More pastry than cake, this delectable dessert inspired C to say, "You've got to make this again!" That was a couple of weeks ago. Yesterday, when I asked what he wants for Fathers Day, he repeated, "Make it again!" Don't tell C,  but the last time I'd made this was 2004 (I jotted it on the recipe!). I think he said "Make it again" that time too ... and I did, nine years later. Sunday -- less than a month since last time -- I'll be making this again. It is so delicious and relatively easy that I really should make it more often.

Patrice gave me the recipe. You see they call it Pear Cake, but my notes tell me I've also used apples, a combination of apples and raspberries, blueberries (above). This Sunday it will be cherries.

Patrice's Homely Pear Cake

2 C. plus one T. flour
3/4 C. plus 2 T. sugar
2 T. light brown sugar
1 t. baking powder
1/4 t. salt
1 stick plus 2 T (5 ounces) unsweetened butter
1 large egg, lightly beaten
1/2 C. almond paste
2 T. fresh lemon juice
2 t. cinnamon
2 pounds firm but ripe pears -- peeled, cored, thinly sliced

1. Preheat oven to 350°. Butter an 8-inch square pan.
2. In food processor, pulse 2 C. flour with 3/4 C. sugar, light brown sugar, baking powder and salt. Add the butter and pulse until it resembles cornmeal. Add egg and combine.
3. Turn the dough onto a work surface and knead several times. Divide roughly in half,  with one piece slightly larger. Flatten into disks, wrap in plastic or wax paper, and refrigerate 20 minutes.
4. Into food processor put the almond paste, lemon juice, cinnamon and remaining 2 T. sugar and 1 T. flour. Pulse until smooth. Scrape into bowl and gently stir in the fruit.
5. On an unfloured work surface (I think I may have sprinkled some flour first.), roll out the larger piece of dough into an 11-inch square. Fit it into the baking dish, pressing it three-quarters of the way up the side. Spoon the fruit in. Roll out the rest of the dough and press it on top, sealing the sides together by squeezing. Bake 55 minutes, or until golden. Make sure fruit (if apples or pears) is soft.
6. Cool at least 6 hours, preferably overnight. (This is a joke! It is delicious, if a bit runny, right out of the oven.)

Making my own birthday cake

Is it pathetic to make your own birthday cake?

Not at all.

C has bought me many cakes, but we both agree mine are better. Besides, it's days before my birthday. I have a habit of celebrating the entire month of November -- with the ultimate goal of celebrating all year long when I get really smart. Thus, today's dessert (Dinner was leftovers), inspired by Smitten Kitchen and my mother. The SKithchen blog suggests a cake topped with bittersweet chocolate and pears chopped small. Instead of her recipe, I made Mom's sponge cake and topped it with 3/4 C. bittersweet chocolate chips and three Bartlett pears chopped smaller than bite-size. It took 45 minutes to bake, more than Mom's recipe. The pears are still a little hard. Next time (and there WILL be a next time!) I will let the pears ripen well, or soften them in the microwave before adding them to the cake. I considered using Kallebut chocolate, but Ghirardelli bittersweet  chips are perfect. It's festive and delicious. Don't wait for a birthday!

Mom's sponge cake with pears and chocolate

1 C. sifted flour

1 tsp. baking powder

dash salt

1/2 C. milk

1 T. butter

2 eggs

1 C. sugar

3/4 C. bittersweet chocolate chips 

3 soft pears, chopped

1. Sift dry ingredients together.
2. Scald milk with the butter. Let butter melt. (I use a glass measuring cup & put it in the microwave until little bubbles form on the sides, but it doesn't boil. Takes less than a minute.)
3. Beat the eggs a lot, until they lose that eggy look & become light.
4. Gradually beat in the sugar.
5. Then add the dry ingredients. Stir until just mixed.
6. Add hot milk with butter & vanilla.
7. Pour into buttered & floured 9" cake pan (I used a skillet.)  Bake 30 min. at 350° (45 minutes for pear and chocolate cake).
8. Top with 3/4 C. bittersweet chocolate chips and 3 soft pears, chopped. These will sink into the cake. 
9. Cool & then remove cake from the pan. (Don't use a skillet if you plan to remove the cake from the pan.),
10. For Boston Cream Pie split the cooled cake carefully with a long serrated knife & spread bottom layer with cream. Put second layer on top of the cream. Decorate with powdered sugar or a thin chocolate glaze.

Problems eased by postcard and pecans

Written last night:

Even if the bed hadn’t collapsed again … even if I didn't find a third note on the door about Zing barking… even without these, today would have been busy.

At 9 this morning Cassie, the owner and dog trainer of Midtown Mutts dog-walking service, visited, and she is wonderful — tonight I am so tired — but tomorrow I’ll tell you everything she said. She studied human psychology in college, loves dogs, and — it seems — would rather work with animals than people.  Zing and I are the lucky beneficiaries. Cassie is generous with her knowledge, enthusiastic, and believes in positive, not negative, learning. Turns out there’s a whole cohort of such dog trainers. She thinks Zing will soon be fine — not a problem barker — if I apply a series of approaches (not just one), from soothing music to brain games to alterations in my going-away routine, and more. 

As soon as she left I also left (first turning on the radio for Zing) to have lunch with Faith at the Crocker Museum. She and I met while walking our dogs a few days ago. We laughed our way from cream of mushroom soup to coffee and cookies, and plan to meet again in a couple of weeks. 

When I got home there was a note on the door saying please do something about my dog’s barking. This time it had a name and phone number. Before responding I called Cassie. I told her I assumed the writer has good intent, not nasty.

Here’s what I sent Cassie after Mr. Clark (yes!) and I talked:

"The talk with neighbor was good. He said he likes dogs. Was glad I'm seeing you--trainer. He's most concerned that they're trying to sell their unit and that dog barking is not helpful. I asked him to let me know when he's showing their place, so I can try to be here or have Zing out at that time. 

Later, I was sitting on the couch opening mail in the lobby and chatted with a woman who was drawn to Zing. She lives above me and one unit over.  She said a friend who had been in her condo while she was at work told her she'd heard a new dog downstairs. She said it with a shrug, as if no big deal to either her or her friend." 

Then, trying to be “normal,” I made a quick pear cake. (Link says fig cake, but I used pears.) I’d started in the morning, hoping it would be out of the oven in time for Cassi’s visit, but no. Still, it’s delicious because the pears here are delicious.

And, to lift my spirits, in my mailbox I found gifts from two friends --  fresh pecans (which I miss so much!) from Beth in North Carolina, and a hand-stitched, hand-dyed postcard with a beautiful note from Jennifer. Thank you, Jennifer and Beth! Perfect timing!

I am tired. The blankets are spread on the living room floor. Zing is curled up there. I will join him now. 

Good night!