Celebrate

New England Pear Perry Cake

Total Time:   1hr, 20mins (Prep: 20mins, Cook: 1hr)
Serves:   9

Ingredients 

For the cake:

• 1 cup Paracombe Premium Perry ‘Mysterious One’
• 2 cups Beurre Bosc Pears (3 large or 4 small pears)
• 1 whole lemon
• ¼ cup softened butter (4 tablespoons or half a stick)
• 1 cup caster sugar
• 2 eggs
• 2 cups flour
• 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• ½ cup heavy cream
• Enough butter to grease a 9×9-inch baking pan
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 3 tablespoons granulated sugar

For the glaze:

• 1 cup Paracombe Premium Perry ‘Mysterious One’
• 1 cup icing sugar
• 1-2 tablespoons heavy cream or milk
• Vanilla Ice Cream, optional for serving

Instructions:

• Place the first cup of Perry on the stove and bring to a boil and boil until reduced to ¼ cup.  Set aside to cool.
• Core and peel the pears and then cut each into 16 slices (fewer slices if using smaller pears).  Have a bowl of water that has a whole lemon squeezed into it.  Place pears into water and then onto a plate to dry and set aside.  This will keep them from turning brown.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees
• In the bowl of a stand mixer with paddle attachment, beat butter and sugar until well mixed.
• With the mixer running, add one egg at a time beating until smooth.  Scrap sides and beat until light and fluffy, about three minutes.
• In a medium bowl, sift flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
• Measure out cream and add cooled reduced Perry to cream.
• With the mixer on low, alternate adding the flour mixture and the cream/perry mixture until well combined.  Scrape sides and mix until smooth.
• Grease a 9X9 square pan liberally with butter and pour in the batter.
• Arrange the pears, outer edges up into the top of the batter.
• In a small bowl or cup, mix the sugar with cinnamon and sprinkle over the top of the cake and place in the oven for 50-60 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into center comes out clean.
• While the cake is baking, make the glaze.
• Place the second cup of Perry on the stove as before only reduce down to two tablespoons.  Watch it that it doesn’t evaporate too far.
• Place the icing sugar in a small bowl and add the reduced Perry along with one tablespoon of milk or cream and stir.  Add the last tablespoon of milk or cream a little at a time until desired consistency.  It should be thick but runny enough to drizzle off the end of a spoon.
• When the cake comes out of the oven, cool to room temperature and cut into nine squares.
• Drizzle the glaze over each portion letting it run down the sides and serve.
• Serve with vanilla ice cream if desired.

Recipe adapted from A Family Feast