Pear Cake with Caramel Sauce

Over the past couple of months I have incorporated a new Sunday night routine into my life. One gaining such sacred status I don't dare schedule or consider doing anything else. The routine begins with spending an hour in an 'extremely hot, sweat inducing, buckets of water dripping from your skin' room. The second hour is spent painfully stretching my body to its' limits. Much to my surprise the physical exhaustion coming from this self-inflicted torturous routine, aka my newest love-hate relationship, is actually a bit exhilarating. Because don't we all experience an endorphin rush high after surviving a 'push yourself to your limits' ordeal? I have come to discover there are endless benefits to these hot and restorative Sunday night yoga classes. But possibly none better than sharing the stamina-endurance experience with friends.

Sometimes we make this Sunday night routine a three hour experience. The third hour focuses only on rehydration. And water is always one of the options.

Not that I needed one, but I wanted a reason to make this Pear Cake with Caramel Sauce. So I surveyed the 'yoga posse' to learn whether or not they liked pears. Fortunately they all did. Our next third hour wouldn't only include hydration. There would also be cake. And not just any cake. But a cake pairing well with chilled prosecco.

Almost everything I bake is 'made from scratch'. However, when I came across the recipe for the Pear Cake with Caramel Sauce, I decided it might be okay, just this once, to channel my well-hidden inner Semi-Homemade with Sandra Lee self.

The ingredients for the cake include pureed (canned) pears, pear liquid, oil, egg whites, and, drum roll please.....a box of white cake mix. Slathered in a freshly whipped cream icing, lined with finely chopped toasted walnuts, topped with pear slices, and drizzled with homemade caramel sauce make this 'semi-homemade' cake look and taste more one made from scratch. And technically, two-thirds of it is.

Baked in a ten-inch bundt pan, the cake bakes for 40-45 minutes in a preheated 350 degree (F) oven. After cooling the cake in the pan for 15 minutes, it needs an additional 90 minutes to completely cool to room temperature. Note: Remember to invert the cake onto your cake stand or platter so the top of the cake is completely flat.

The most significant changes made to the stamina-endurance recipe were to the Whipped Cream Icing. In addition to increasing the ingredient amounts (because if there is going to be whipped cream icing, there needs to be lots of it), I added sour cream to stabilize it. Freshly whipped cream has a tendency to weep and lose its' fluffy cloud-like texture after a relatively short period of time. There are essentially two ways of stabilizing whipped cream: adding unflavored gelatin or sour cream. I used sour cream, however, if you want to try making the icing with gelatin, read the Cook's Illustrated article to learn how.

The finely chopped toasted walnuts pressed into the sides of the iced pear cake add both texture and flavor. If you aren't a big fan of walnuts, you can always toast and chop hazelnuts. The nuts are one of the finishing touches guaranteed to make you look like pastry chef when you bring the cake to the table.

I used canned pears in light syrup for the cake portion of the recipe, but went with pears in heavy syrup to top the cake. The canned pear halves are cut into slices and fanned out on the top of the cake. I had thought about using roasted pears instead of the canned pears (because honestly I was still a little anxious about making a semi-homemade cake), but time constraints made the decision for me. After tasting the cake topped with the canned pears, I am not sure if I will ever top it with roasted pears. Yes, who knew canned pears could be so loved by a self-admitted fussyterian.

The caramel sauce may be this cake's pièce de résistance. Not only is it drizzled over the top of the cake, each slice of cake is placed on plate drizzled with a bit more.

The cake can be made, iced, and topped pear slices several hours before serving. The caramel sauce can be made ahead as well and kept at room temperature. Before serving, simply warm the sauce over low heat before drizzling over the cake.

Served over a bed of warm caramel sauce this Pear Cake makes for an incredibly elegant presentation. This dense, moist cake, ever so lightly pear flavored, is dinner party, birthday party, special occasion party, or rehydration gathering worthy. Nothing about this cake looks or tastes like 'semi-homemade' (which may only be important to those of us who obsess about such things). If there was ever a cake to get both unanimous rave reviews and oohs-and-ahhs, this would be the one. If you don't have a 'special' occasion coming up, create one. Because you really need to make this Pear Cake with Caramel Sauce.

Recipe
Pear Cake with Caramel Sauce (several adaptations to Pillsbury's Delicate Pear Cake with Caramel Sauce recipe)

Ingredients
Cake
1 package (15.25 ounce) Moist Supreme White Cake Mix
1/3 cup vegetable or canola oil
1 can (15 ounce) pear halves in light syrup, drained reserving 1/3 cup of pear liquid
1/3 cup reserved pear liquid
3 egg whites (from large eggs)

Caramel Sauce
1 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
1 cup heavy whipping cream (at least 17% fat)
generous pinch of sea salt
1 Tablespoon vanilla

Icing and Finishing
1 1/2 cups heavy whipping cream (at least 17% fat)
2 Tablespoons granulated or caster sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla
1/4 cup sour cream 
1 can (15 ounce) pear halves in heavy syrup, well drained (or can roast your own pears, see note below)
3/4 cup walnuts, toasted and finely chopped

Directions
Cake
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees (F). Prepare a 10 inch tube pan with removable bottom.
2. Drain 1 can of pear halves, reserving 1/3 cup of the liquid.
3. Place drained pear halves in food processor. Process until smooth.
4. In the bowl of a standing mixer, combine cake mix, pureed pears, the reserved 1/3 cup pear liquid, oil, and egg whites. Beat at low speed until combined.
5. Beat at medium speed for 2 minutes.
6. Pour batter into the prepared pan.
7. Bake for 40-45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool cake in pan for 15 minutes. Invert cake onto serving plater. Allow cake to cool for at least 90 minutes before icing.

Caramel
1. In a medium saucepan, combine brown sugar, butter, whipping cream and sea salt. Bring to a boil. Continue boiling for an additional 5 minutes (stirring frequently) until the sauce has thickened and is golden in color. 
2. Remove from heat and add vanilla. Stir until incorporated.
3. Allow to cool to room temperature.

Icing
1. In the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, beat the whipping cream and sugar until stiff peaks form. Fold in vanilla and sour cream.

Assembly
1. Drain pears (discard liquid). Cut pear halves lengthwise (should yield about 32 slices).
2. Frost the cooled cake with the whipped icing. 
3. Arrange pear slices on top of cake, slightly overlapping.
4. Press nuts into the side of the cake.
5. Drizzle 3-5 Tablespoons of the caramel sauce over the top of the sliced pears.
6. To serve, spoon 2 Tablespoons of caramel sauce onto each individual dessert plate. Top with a slice of cake. Or serve sauce on the side.

Notes: (1) Instead of topping the cake with drained, canned pears, top with slices of roasted pears. Like these Honey and Butter Baked Pears. (2) The sour cream helps to stabilize the whipped cream. (3) Serve this cake with some chilled Prosecco for an added celebratory touch. (4) The completed cake can be prepared up to 4 hours in advance of serving, however, wait to drizzle the caramel sauce over the top until ready to serve. Keep any leftover cake in the refrigerator. (5) I used the Pillsbury White Supreme Cake Mix in the making of the cake.

Outside and inside views of vacant arsenal bunkers on the grounds of the Midewin National Tallgrass Prairie.

Parmesan Roasted Cauliflower

Lately it seems there has been a proliferation recipes showcasing new ways to use cauliflower. From using it to make a pizza crust; to creating faux mashed potatoes, rice and/or risotto; to transforming into hamburger buns; and yes, to even using it to make chocolate pudding. Who knew cauliflower could be so versatile? Apparently quite a few people. I can't help but wonder what took so long for these unexpected, creative uses of cauliflower to begin making their way into the 'mainstream'. Or maybe all of these creative adaptations have been around for awhile but my cauliflower making lens has been a bit myopic. Although I have yet to venture down the sneaking in healthy cauliflower to replace 'bad' carbs road, I am a big fan of roasting this humble vegetable.

Last year I posted the recipe for insanely delicious Whole Roasted Cauliflower with Whipped Cheese. Although the preparation for dish is actually a three step process. Brine, boil, and then roast. Which may have made it one of those recipes some would put in the category of 'too many steps'. And I get that. Although in just one bite, even those who prefer preparation simplicity over complexity, would immediately consider shifting over to the multi-step end of the continuum.

So I have a surprise for you. This Parmesan Roasted Cauliflower is a one step, roast only process. And if there was ever a recipe to transform the way you feel about or make cauliflower, this would be it. You may never pair a grilled steak with a potato again. Seriously.

Roasting vegetables mellows and sweetens their flavor. The high, dry heat from the oven helps to caramelize the vegetable's natural sugars, resulting in an incredible depth of flavor not experienced if eating it raw, blanched, fried, or steamed.The roasting process not only removes bitterness of the raw vegetable but will completely alter your opinion of it. The vegetables benefitting the most from roasting are potatoes, onions, beets, carrots, squash, brussels sprouts, and, last but not least, cauliflower.

A large head of cauliflower, a large sweet onion, four or five cloves of unpeeled garlic, some sprigs of fresh thyme, good quality olive oil, salt, pepper and parmesan cheese are the only ingredients needed to make the Parmesan Roasted Cauliflower. 

When cutting the cauliflower into florets, try to retain their long stems. For really large florets, cut them half lengthwise. Be careful not to cut them into tiny pieces. Rather the rings, cut the onion into wedges. You should be able to get at least 6 wedges from each onion half. 

Vegetables need high heat to tenderize. Finding the 'sweet spot' roasting temperature depends on the vegetable. The original recipe called for roasting the cauliflower, onions, and garlic at 425 degrees (F). Feedback from others who had made it indicated that level of heat often lead to burning. The roasting temperature suggestions ranged from 375 degrees (F) to 400 degrees (F). Rather than choosing one temperature over the other, I used both. For the first 15 minutes, I roasted the vegetables at 375 degrees (F). For the remaining amount of roasting time, I increased the oven temperature to 400 degrees (F). The result was utter roasted perfection.

Once you have roasted the vegetables 35-40 minutes (tossing at least once), you sprinkle with the grated parmesan cheese. You will continue to roast for another 10-15 minutes, or until the cauliflower forets are tender.

When transferring the roasted vegetables to a serving platter, remove the skins from the cloves of garlic. You can cut the roasted garlic up into pieces (so everyone gets a little taste) or you can keep them whole (so only some get to experience that additional layer of flavor). You decide.

The Parmesan Roasted Cauliflower is at its' best served hot from the oven, although, I found I could not stop picking at it once it came to room temperature. I also wanted to lick my plate, but kept my manners in check.

Destined to be your all-time favorite roasted cauliflower dish as the pairing of the roasted vegetables with the parmesan cheese puts it in a side dish category of its' own. Satisfying, rich, deeply flavorful, elegant, and classic don't even begin to describe the Parmesan Roasted Cauliflower. Perfect as a weeknight or dinner party side dish. Definitely worthy of going on the last meal list.

Recipe
Parmesan Roasted Cauliflower (Slight adaptation to Bon Appetit's Parmesan Roasted Cauliflower recipe, February 2013)
Serves 6 to 8

Ingredients
1 large head cauliflower, cut into florets
1 large sweet onion, cut into wedges
4-5 springs fresh thyme
4 - 5 garlic cloves, unpeeled
3 Tablespoons good quality olive oil
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
1/2 cup (2 ounces) freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees (F).
2. Toss cauliflower, onions, unpeeled garlic cloves and thyme in olive oil on a rimmed baking sheet. Season with kosher salt and black pepper.
3. Roast for 15 minutes. Toss and increase oven temperature to 400 degrees. Continue cooking for an additional 20-25 minutes.
4. Sprinkle with grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese and continue to roast for an additional 10-12 minutes (or until cauliflower is tender).
5. Remove skins from garlic cloves. 
6. Transfer to a platter. Serve immediately. Optional: Grate some additional Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese over top before serving.

Notes: (1) Serve the roasted garlic cloves whole or chop up. Recommend chopping up so everyone gets to experience their roasted deliciousness. (2) While not completely necessary, would recommend grating some additional parmesan cheese over the plated vegetables. (3) Highly recommend using a sweet onion, like a Vidalia or Maui for optimal flavor.

Views along Waikiki Beach, Oahu (February 2017)

White Chocolate Popcorn

New Orleans was the first far from home place we took our then 10 year old nephew and 8 year old niece. From the steamboat ride to the Audubon Zoo and trolley ride back to our hotel to walking into almost every bead shop on Royal and Bourbon Streets in the French Quarter to seeing their sweet little faces and exhausted bodies literally fall asleep in their plates remain vivid memories. It never fails. Each year as Mardi Gras approaches, I take a short trip down memory lane. Back then there weren't any smart phones with cameras and I didn't own a digital camera. Forget about being able to edit a photo as film had to be dropped off to be processed. It took days before your photos would be ready. Somewhere in my house and in theirs is a 'memory' book filled with captions containing some of the photos capturing our weekend adventures. And more than likely they each have their bags of beads somewhere in their drawers or closets. But for me, being able to see their young eyes take in the sights and sounds of New Orleans will remain the best, most treasured souvenir.

King Cakes, jambalaya, étouffée, po' boys, gumbo, muffulettas, or red beans and rice might be the more classic, traditional Mardi Gras foods, but one always needs something a little sweet to go with all of that savory. Like this White Chocolate Popcorn with M&Ms and Honey Roasted Peanuts. And it's easier and quicker to make than pralines!

Mardi Gras is just one of the reasons to make this White Chocolate Popcorn. Actually, you don't even need a reason. Sweet, salty snacks don't ever need an occasion to be made.

Many recipes for White Chocolate (coated) popcorn call for the use of Almond Bark. This one uses white chocolate melting wafers. Some call for the use of unbuttered popcorn. This one uses 'lightly buttered' microwave popcorn. Honestly, I don't think I would make this popcorn any other way. 

At first I wasn't certain if 10 ounces of melted white chocolate would be enough to adequate coat two (3 ounce) bags of microwave popcorn. But surprisingly it was. 

Before drizzling the melted chocolate over the popcorn, remove any of the unpopped kernals. 

Two cups of M&Ms and a generous one and a half cups of honey roasted peanuts seemed to be the right popcorn to candy/nut ratio. But feel free to increase or decrease to your preference.

After the popcorn was coated with the melted white chocolate, I mixed in the M&Ms and peanuts, thinking they might stick to some of the popped kernels. Some did, some didn't. Maybe the chocolate dried too quickly. Or maybe increasing the melted chocolate to 11 ounces and working a little faster would make a difference. Or maybe it wouldn't.

I must give you a warning about this White Chocolate Popcorn. It's a little addictive. So when you make you it, make sure you have friends and family over to share it with. If you are looking for a fun snack to serve at a party, while watching sports, or an informal gathering, this easy snack would definitely fall into the 'most memorable' category.

Recipe
White Chocolate Popcorn 

Ingredients
2 bags (3 ounce size) Light Butter Microwave Popcorn
2 cups M&Ms in your favorite colors
A generous 1 1/2 cups honey roasted peanuts
10-11 ounces white chocolate, melted

Directions
1. Make popcorn according to package directions. Spread popcorn out on a large baking sheet or pour into a large bowl. Remove any unpopped kernels.
2. Drizzle melted chocolate over popcorn. Stir popcorn until it is lightly coated.
3. Pour in M&Ms and honey roasted peanuts. Mix together.
4. Spread chocolate coated popcorn out on a large sheet of parchment paper to allow chocolate to set. 
5. Serve immediately or wrap in cellophane bags to keep fresh.

Notes: (1) I used Pop Secret Light Butter Microwave popcorn. (2) Ten ounces of melted white chocolate (I used Ghiradelli White Chocolate Melting Wafers) will give the popcorn a very light, not overly sweet, coat of chocolate. 

Food trucks on the North Shore on Oahu.

Coconut Panna Cotta with Blueberry Sauce

"Once you have traveled, the voyage never ends, but is played out over and over again in the quietest chambers. The mind can never break off from the journey." (Pat Conroy) My recent and very first trip ever to Hawaii is the reason the blog has been on an unusually long hiatus. While I have been home for a little more than a week, my mind and body are still adjusting to the change in scenery, the jet lag, and the absence of the sound of the ocean. I have not yet completely lost my senses, however, I am still wondering if this incredible trip was just a dream. In spite of the fact I have hundreds of photos and a few souvenirs proving I really was in a tropical paradise. Have you ever returned from somewhere so breathtakingly beautiful you feel as if you need to keep looking at your photos to keep reliving the experience or to make you feel like you have been temporarily transported back? Sounds a little strange, I know. But bear with me for a moment while I attempt to explain how my mind works. I had never been to anywhere tropical before. So everything about Hawaii (or rather Oahu) seemed surreal. From the multiple hues and shades of blue in the sky and water to the incredibly diverse, lush landscapes, nothing I had read or heard about Hawaii truly prepared my eyes and heart for the experience. From the moment we landed in Honululu, it felt as if I had journeyed, not to the 50th state, but to some foreign exotic land. Snorkeling for the first time gave me a close up glimpse of yet another world. And those early morning views from the hike up Diamond Head only further magnified the island's splendiferousness. Needless to say, almost all of my senses were on constant overload. Which may have also explained in part why I could barely stay awake past nine o'clock most nights (my significant for me intake of alcohol may have accounted for the other part). If there was ever a trip to make me more fully appreciate the value of traveling to new places, to having new experiences, this would be the one. 

I had recently developed an affinity for a coffee flavored with coconut-almond milk. While going through my ever growing pile of recipes on the 'maybe make someday' list I rediscovered a Panna Cotta made with coconut milk. Whether or not it was the coffee responsible for shifting my opinion on coconut milk, the Panna Cotta moved from the 'maybe' to 'must' list.

Not surprisingly, coconut milk doesn't have a strong coconut flavor. Coconut milk is not the liquid found inside the coconut itself. That would be coconut water. Equal parts of shredded coconut and water (or milk) are steeped together to create coconut milk.

This Panna Cotta recipe calls for the use of two (13.5 ounce) cans of full-fat canned coconut milk. Unlike most other Panna Cotta recipes, the liquid (coconut milk) is divided. Initially, only one can of the well-shaken coconut milk is poured into a heavy bottomed saucepan. After sprinkling the gelatin over the milk, it needs 5 minutes to soften. Over low heat, this mixture, along with the sugar, is cooked until the sugar dissolves (approximately 2-3 minutes). Note: Be careful not to let the mixture boil or you will destroy the gelatins thickening ability. Removing the pan from the heat, the additional can of well-shaken coconut milk, vanilla and salt are whisked in. Pouring the mixture into a measuring cup makes it easy to pour it into your molds.

But before pouring, you have a serving decision to make. Do you want to serve the Panna Cotta self-contained in cup or do you want this light and luscious dessert to be served unmolded? Either presentation works. If you want to serve it unmolded, you will need to lightly spray your molds. Ramekins, small bowls, and/or metal/silicone pastry molds like these are all options. To unmold, moisten small serving dishes with a little warm water (this makes it easier to center the panna cotta). Loosen the edges of the panna cotta with a fingertip or tip of a butterknife, then slowly invert onto the plate. Gently jiggle the ramekin side to side until the panna cotta slips out. Depending on the size of your serving dishes or molds, this recipe will serve anywhere from 6 to 8 people.

The Panna Cotta will set up covered with plastic wrap in the refrigerator in approximately 3 to 4 hours, but you could be made the night before.

The Panna Cotta can be served with any number of toppings. Raspberry sauce, blueberry sauce, chocolate sauce, brandied cherry sauce, or even a honey caramel sauce. My choice of blueberry sauce may have been influenced by shades of blue ocean water.

To make the blueberry sauce, bring the blueberries, sugar, lemon zest and 1/4 cup of water to a boil over medium high heat. Reduce the heat to low-medium, and continue cooking until the blueberries begin to burst (approximately 3-5 minutes). In a small bowl, whisk together the lemon juice and cornstarch. Stir into the blueberry sauce. Continue cooking for approximately 1 minute or until the sauce has started to thicken. Remove from the heat and whisk in the vanilla and salt. The sauce will continue to thicken as it cools.

The Blueberry Sauce can be made prior to serving, early in the day, or the day before. If covered, it can be stored in the refrigerator for up to one week. Note: Any leftover blueberry sauce would be gret served over ice cream or pancakes.

Panna Cotta may be one of my most favorite desserts to make. This Coconut Panna Cotta with Blueberry Sauce will be the version going to the top of the panna cotta rotation list. It is light and creamy, has the right amount of sweetness along with a subtleness of coconut, and is completely satisfying. Seems some unexpected influences and outcomes came as a result of this trip to Hawaii. Guess I need to travel more.

Recipe
Coconut Panna Cotta with Blueberry Sauce (slight adaptation to the Coconut Panna Cotta recipe shared in Fine Cooking, April/May 2016)
Serves 6 
Update January 2023

Ingredients
Coconut Panna Cotta
2 cans (13.5 ounce size) full fat coconut milk, well shaken (OR 1 can full fat coconut milk & 1 can (15 oz) cream of coconut
1 package (1/4 ounce) unflavored powdered gelatin (recommend Knox)
1/3 cup plus 2 Tablespoons granulated sugar
1 Tablespoon vanilla
1/8 teaspoon kosher salt
Optional: Cooking spray

Blueberry Sauce
1 pint (2 cups) fresh blueberries (Note: Increasing the blueberries to 2 1/2 cups will make a slightly less thick sauce)
1/4 cup water
2 Tablespoons granulated sugar
2 Tablespoons finely grated lemon zest
2 Tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 teaspoons cornstarch
pinch of kosher salt

Directions
Coconut Panna Cotta
1. Pour one can of the well-shaken full-fat coconut milk into a heavy bottomed saucepan. Sprinkle the gelatin over the top and allow to sit for approximately 5 minutes.
2. Place the saucepan over low-medium heat, whisk in the sugar and heat until the sugar has completely dissolved (approximately 2-3 minutes).
3. Remove from the heat and whisk in the second can of well-shaken full-fat coconut milk.
4. Whisk in the vanilla and salt. Pour mixture into a measuring cup.
5. Pour panna cotta mixture into the prepared bowls or cups. Note: If unmolding the panna cotta before serving, lightly spray the ramekins/molds/bowls.
6. Cover with plastic wrap and chill for at least 3-4 hours or overnight.

Blueberry Sauce
1. In a medium sized saucepan, bring the blueberries, sugar, lemon zest and 1/4 cup of water to a boil over medium high heat. 
2. Reduce the heat to low-medium, and continue cooking until the blueberries begin to burst (approximately 3-5 minutes). 
3. In a small bowl, whisk together the lemon juice and cornstarch. Stir into the blueberry sauce. 
4. Continue cooking for approximately 1 minute or until the sauce has started to thicken. 
5. Remove from the heat and whisk in the vanilla and salt. If not serving immediately, allow to cool to room temperature, cover and store in the refrigerator. Note: The sauce will continue to thicken as it cools.

Notes: There are two other Panna Cotta recipes posted on the blog: Honey and Pistachio Panna Cotta and Panna Cotta with Balsamic Strawberries. Several changes were made to the recipes. For the Panna Cotta: (1) The amount of sugar was changed from 1/3 cup to 1/3 cup plus 2 Tablespoons. (2) The amount of vanilla was increased from 1 teaspoon to 1 Tablespoon. (3) Kosher salt was used instead of table salt. (4) One .25 ounce package of unflavored gelatin was used instead of 2 teaspoons. For the Blueberry Sauce: (1) Only 2 cups instead of 2 1/2 cups of blueberries were used. Will definitely consider increasing to 2 1/2 cups next time. (2) The cooked blueberry mixture was not strained through a fine mesh sieve as I prefer a chunky blueberry sauce.

View of Waikiki from the top of Diamond Head (February 2017)

Looking out at the Pacific Ocean from Waikiki.

Hanauma Bay on the island of Oahu.

Lanikai Beach on the island of Oahu.