Pear Maple Johnnycake
A rustic cornmeal cake featuring caramelized Anjou pears and warm maple syrup. This elegant dessert combines the hearty texture of traditional johnnycake with sweet fruit and nutmeg spice.
Ingredients
- •1 stick stick unsalted butter
- •2 tablespoons sugar
- •4 whole firm-ripe Anjou pears, peeled, halved lengthwise, and cored
- •½ teaspoon grated nutmeg, divided
- •1 cup all-purpose flour
- •¾ cup stone-ground cornmeal (preferably white)
- •2 teaspoons baking powder
- •½ teaspoon baking soda
- •½ teaspoon salt
- •¾ cup whole milk
- •¼ cup pure maple syrup (preferably dark amber or Grade B)
- •2 large large eggs, lightly beaten
- •to taste Accompaniments: pure maple syrup (for drizzling); sour cream
Cooking Instructions
- 1.
Preheat oven to 400°F with rack in middle.
5 min
- 2.
Melt butter in a 12-inch nonstick skillet. Brush a 9-inch cake pan (2 inches deep) with 1 tablespoon melted butter and reserve 6 tablespoons in a small bowl. Sprinkle sugar evenly over butter remaining in skillet. Arrange pears, cut sides up, in skillet and sprinkle with 1/8 teaspoon nutmeg. Cook over medium heat 5 minutes, then turn pears over and sprinkle with 1/8 teaspoon nutmeg. Cook until liquid pears give off has evaporated and cut sides are lightly browned, 8 to 10 minutes more.
15 min
- 3.
Transfer pears, cut sides down, to cake pan.
2 min
- 4.
Whisk together flour, cornmeal, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and remaining 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg in a bowl. Whisk in milk, syrup, eggs, and reserved butter just until smooth. Pour over pears and bake until golden and a wooden pick inserted in center of cake comes out clean, 25 to 30 minutes. Cool in pan on a rack 15 minutes, then run a knife around edge of cake to loosen and invert onto a platter.
45 min