Day 10 - Pear & Almond with Passionfruit glaze

16 July 2010

TGIF again! I made it through another week, tired but still excited!

I got distracted and didn't get into the kitchen until 11pm eventhough the intention was to start after I posted yesterday's entry.

I thought this recipe was easy enough until my creamed butter refused to combine with the beaten eggs... must read up on the science side of it... ARGH! this all happening at midnight and I didnt have enough eggs nor sugar to start again or make something else.

Choc Banana cupcakes with dark choc ganache

This is when the handy cupcakes come to the rescue. When I do make multiple items, it's often because they are backups for each other. Incase this cake doesn't work, I needed a Plan B - last night that was Banana Chocolate Cupcakes :)

After 50 minutes in the oven, th Pear+Almond Cake turned out more like a Tart cos the body didn't rise as much as I had anticipated. Also, I used fresh pears instead of the canned ones called for in the recipe... next time I want to try out the can version.

Below is the recipe as requested by colleagues.. it's really very easy to make, if you can get the egg to mix with the creamed butter (think it's to do with the temperature), let me know!

Amount raised today was $104.10

Thank you so much to the person who put in the $50 note today :)

It's always exciting to see NOTES! in the donation box!

And thanks to all who have donated on my campaign page so far.

Tonight, I also received a $1000 cash donation from my neighbour!! Which brings me to the $2k mark already!!! *cartwheels across the room* (just waiting for aussie dollars to get better before I upload).

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PEARL AND ALMOND CAKE WITH PASSIONFRUIT GLAZE

Ingredients:

185g butter, chopped

110 caster sugar

3 eggs

185g almond meal

35g plain flour

420g can pear halves in natural juice, drained

Passionfruit glaze:

80ml passionfruit pulp

80ml light corn syrup

1 tablespoon caster sugar

• Preheat oven to 180 degrees. Greese 22cm springform tin, line base and sides with baking paper. I used a silicon mould, buttered and dusted with flour.
• Cream butter and sugar in bowl with electric mixer until light and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, beating until combined. Stir in almond meal and flour.
• Spread mixture into prepared pan; top with pear halves. Bake in oven for about 50 minutes; stand cake 5 minutes. Remove from pan, cool on racks.
• Pour passionfruit glaze over cake.

Passionfruit glaze - Stir combined ingredients in small saucepan over heat, without boiling, until sugar dissolves. Bring to a boil; reduce heat. Simmer, uncovered, without stirring for about 2 minutes or until thickened slightly; cool.