Forking Delicious Pear Almond Cake

This recipe is based on Cook’s Illustrated French Apple Cake Recipe. The Cook’s French Apple Recipe is described as…… “Neither a Cake” “Nor a Custard” “Nor a Clafoutis” “But is a Bit of Culinary Magic that’s all three!” I made the Cook’s Illustrated French Apple Cake (you can see it on TheForkingTruth) and I thought it was a most interesting recipe but for my taste it wasn’t sweet enough and could use some more flavor. What I least liked about the recipe is that it was terribly greasy. I do note I am not the only blogger that felt this way. After I tasted this cake I looked into the internet to see others felt and I found many others felt the same way I did. I do note that Cook’s Illustrated Recipes are well known and cherished and are usually iron clad perfect….but this one recipe needed another day in the test kitchen for me and most people. That’s not to say it’s a bad recipe……It’s still a very good recipe but I just have to tweak it. I also note I never would have came up with exactly with what I prepared if it wasn’t for Cook’s Illustrated.I thought that if I cut the one cup of oil and replaced it with 4 oz of butter I might hit two birds with one stone. I was hoping for less grease and more sweet. I added 1/4 cup of almond flour hoping the taste of almonds would lace the cake and I also added almonds for the topping. I thought instead of apples I would add soft ripe pears that don’t require the pre microwaving. The pears are also much sweeter with a stronger fruit flavor than the apples. The pears also don’t require the added lemon juice so I can leave lemon juice out and the batter will seem sweeter. I also used 1/2 cup nonfat dry milk  with one cup of water instead of whole milk due to that’s what I had around.

Ingredients for about 8 servings

1 1/2 lbs ripe pears

1 cup + 2 Tablespoons flour (2 T for latter)

1 cup + 1 Tablespoon sugar ( 1 T for latter)

1/4 cup almond flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 XL egg – beaten

2 XL yolks – beaten

4 oz stick unsalted butter – melted

1/2 cup non-fat dry milk

1 cup water

1 teaspoon vanilla

1/4 cup almonds –  sliced and lightly toasted

neutral non-stick spray – canola or vegetable

Directions

set oven to 325 degrees F

In one bowl whisk together, 1 cup flour, 1 cup sugar, almond flour, baking powder and salt. Set to the side.

In another bowl, whisk egg, butter, milk, water, vanilla.

Now add dry ingredients to wet ingredients and stir till incorporated.

REMOVE one cup of batter and stir in the 2 Tablespoons flour and almonds and set to the side.

ADD the 2 beaten yolks to the BIG BOWL OF BATTER.

Peel the pears and cut into small chunks a little smaller than bite size and toss into batter till done.

Spray your springform pan with non-stick spray

Fill with the main bowl of batter.

Top that with the cup of batter (with almonds).

Sprinkle the one T of sugar over the top.

Place in preheated oven at 325 degrees F

Turn oven light on after 20 minutes if it’s browning just place a loose sheet of aluminum foil over the top.

After 40 more minutes remove the foil.

leave in oven another 15 minutes and remove.

Let it rest a half hour or so on the counter.

Then cover with plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator for 2-3 hours.

Use a soft knife and slide it around the edges to make sure the cake will release and then release the cake.

Cut and serve.

Forking Delicious Pear Almond Cake

SUCCESS! By NOT adding any additional sugar, changing the fruit, swapping out a cup of oil for 4 oz. sweet butter the cake is much more flavorful, sweeter and not greasy.

Forking Yummy! ……….It’s light custardy, moist, taste studded with sweet pears, laced with a mild almond cream with caramelized ends. It’s just delicious. This cake will please just about anyone. Even people who usually don’t enjoy dessert will enjoy this cake it’s sweet but not too sweet, buttery but not greasy and the pear and almond flavor are delicious.

The Forking Truth

I saw the Julia Child’s Poached Egg Trick on the internet and I thought why haven’t I seen this before??????

Well any who I thought I’d give it a try!

First take a sterilized pin and poke a hole in the wider end of the egg.

Place the egg in boiling water for about 10 seconds. The directions say exactly ten seconds. I have XL eggs so a gave it one-two more seconds.

Remove the egg from the boiling water and turn the water down to a simmer.

Break the egg and carefully place in the water.

Remove from the water when the egg white is cooked. The directions say 3-4 minutes but on my stove with my pot I got it that way in less than 2 minutes and dried the egg off on a clean paper towel.

Then use as you please.

Julia’s Child’s Poached Egg Trick

This was so forking easy and quick. What a great trick!

Julia Child’s Easy Poached Egg Trick

The Forking Truth

White Nectarine Crostata

Chef Lidia Bastianich made this lovely Rice and Zucchini Crostata on her cooking show that I will make sometime in the near future. It looked FORKING Delicious! I don’t have fresh ricotta cheese today or even Zucchini to make it but I will use her crust recipe for the Crostata. I got 4 pounds of ripe sweet white nectarines today so I thought they’d be great in a Crostata Crust. This really came out FORKING Amazing. The filling is delicious with the right amount of moisture and sweetness. The crust is thin, tender and crisp. This is a great crust recipe too. You will be pleased with this recipe. This certainly is a #CrowdPleaser!

Ingredients for about 12 servings

2 cups flour – plus extra for rolling dough

1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil

1/3 cup cold water-  plus more if needed

1 teaspoon kosher salt

4 lbs ripe white nectarines – rustically cut into into about 6 pieces a fruit with stone removed

1/4 cup tapioca flour – you can always grind tapioca to make tapioca flour

1/2 cup sugar

1/4 teaspoon kosher salt or sea salt

1/4 cup apricot spread – thinned down with water

1 XL egg – beaten

1/4 cup course sugar

Non-stick spray

Directions

To make the dough get out a large mixing bowl. I used a fork and mixed the flour, 1 teaspoon salt, olive oil and cold water. I do note Lidia’s Recipe suggest using a food processor to mix the mix. It might be better I don’t know? I don’t have a large processor and have no plans to purchase one. When your done with the dough wraps it in plastic wrap and let it rest about 1/2 hour.

Set your oven to 375 degree F. Put a baking stone in your oven.  Spray your pan with non-stick spray.

Cover your rolling mat with some flour and slowly roll out your dough.

After your dough is rolled out dust it and your rolling pin with some flour. To transfer the dough to your pan….roll the dough around your rolling pin.

As best as you can unroll the dough over your pan.

Don’t worry if it’s not perfect because it’s not suppose to be perfect.

In a large bowl add your nectarines, tapioca flour, sugar, 1/4 teaspoon salt and lightly mix.

Put the nectarine filling into your pan with dough.

Fold down the ends. (I trimmed off an end and added it to the right)

Place Crostata on the stone in your pre-heated 375 degree F oven.

After 45 minutes remove the crostata.

Add beaten egg with a pastry brush to the crust.

Add thinned down apricot to the top of nectarines.

Add course sugar to top the crust and put the crostata in the oven for about 15 more minutes.

15 minutes latter it will look like this.

White Nectarine Crostata

You need to let it cool for at least a 1/2 hour before you serve it.

White Nectarine Crostata

Absolutely Forking Delicious and Perfect. No need to add whipped cream or ice-cream. The taste is absolutely forking perfection.

The Forking Truth

Forking Awesome Mexican Inspired Meatballs

These Mexican Inspired Meatballs come out delicious and very flavorful and Forking Awesome. You can use them in tacos or burritos. The Mexican Meatballs would also be great with a bean and corn salad or with  corn pasta and a green or red chile sauce and salsa. If you are a fan of tacos you will forking love these Mexican Inspired Meatballs.

Ingredients for 8 servings

2 lb ground beef – Fresh ground at home preferably (brisket- Chuck – Rib)

4 XL eggs – beaten

1 cup water

2 Tablespoons kosher salt or sea salt

2 teaspoons black pepper

1/4 sweet onion chopped fine

1 Tablespoon cumin

1 Tablespoon chili powder

1/2 teaspoon cayenne

3/4 cup whole wheat panko

1/4 cup masa flour

1 cup cooked rice

1 cup cooked corn kernels

2 chipotle peppers in adobo sauce – chopped fine – with some of the sauce

3/4 cup scallions – chopped

1 carrot shredded

4 garlic cloves – grated

1 teaspoon annoto

1/2 cup fresh cilantro – chopped well

non-stick spray

Directions

Set oven to 350 degrees F and spray your baking sheets with non-stick spray.

Get a large bowl. Add the meat, all vegetables, all liquids and spices and mix well. Lastly add panko and masa flour. Mix till incorporated. Get a small scooper and scoop out and make the meatballs until you are done with the mixture. Place the meatballs in the oven till they are cooked threw. (about 12 minutes)

Mexican Inspired Meatballs

Forking Delicious! These Mexican Inspired Meatballs are so good you are going to have to throw a party! #CrowdPleaser

Mexican Inspired Meatballs

The Forking Truth

Sautéed Celery with Herbs, Calabrian Chili Pepper and Parmesan

Celery is an over looked and under used vegetable and can be a delicious vegetable course in a meal. Think about everything you add celery to in recipes and the flavors and then it’s easy to turn celery into a delicious side dish. One of the tricks to delicious celery is that you have to peel the ribs just like you peel a carrot. The oil that the celery gets cooked in will get infused with flavors that will penetrate the celery to make it tasty.

Ingredients for 2 servings

2 cups celery – cleaned – peeled and cut into bite size pieces – save the leaves and put them to the side

1 sprig rosemary

1 sprig sage – just the leaves

2 sprigs thyme

2 Tablespoons unsalted butter

1 Tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

1 Calabrian Chili Pepper – chopped fine

1 garlic clove – mashed fine

sea salt – fresh cracked to taste

black pepper – fresh cracked to taste

Parmesan Cheese – shredded to taste

Directions

Use a small fry pan and place it on medium high heat with the butter and oil.

When the butter is almost melted add the rosemary, sage and thyme to the pan and cook till herbs are crisp. (this is only a few minutes) Remove the herbs and let drain on a paper towel.

Turn down the heat to medium.

Add the chili and garlic and mix around well and then add the celery. Cover with foil until the celery is tender crisp. ( a few minutes)

Stir in the celery leaves and they only need up to a minute to wilt.

Add the fresh cracked salt and pepper and stir.

Plate up and add one of the fried herbs and fresh shredded parmesan cheese to the top .

Enjoy

Sautéed Celery with Herbs, Calabrian Chili Pepper and Parmesan

Forking Good!

The Forking Truth