indigo pears

Remember the pear in my watercolor still life?

It is now on top of this "Warm Pear and Walnut Cake", just out of the oven, delicious! [Do you see the "pear" towel in the background?]

The recipe can be found in this book, "Enlightened Cakes" by Camilla V. Saulsbury. Written to encourage the use of less sugar, but not sugar substitutes. Her recipes are wonderful!

Warm Pear and Walnut Cake (with my modifications)

nonstick baking spray

3 T. butter

1t. vanilla extract

2 oz. walnut pieces (about 1/2 c.)

1/2 c. firmly packed brown sugar

1/3 c. whole wheat pastry flour or unbleached flour

2 large eggs

1/4 t. salt

2 medium or one large ripe pear -cored and sliced thin (do not peel)

2 t. turbinado sugar (for sprinkling over the top before baking)

Preheat oven to 425 and spray the pan (8" is large enough) with baking spray.

In a small saucepan melt the butter over medium heat, cool slightly. add vanilla and set aside.

In the bowl of a FOOD PROCESSOR process the walnuts, brown sugar and flour until the nuts are finely ground.

In a large mixing bowl, beat the eggs and add salt. Fold in the flour/nut mixture, then the butter mixture. Spread batter into prepared pan. Arrange pear slices evenly over the batter and sprinkle with turbinado (raw) sugar.

Bake 22-25 minutes until cake tests done. Cut in slices and serve ( vanilla yogurt might be good on this...I used some Devon cream...yummm!]