RECIPES: DOUBLE PEAR GINGERBREAD

DOUBLE PEAR GINGERBREAD

Serves 6 to 8.

Using fresh and dried pears yields a multidimensional pear experience that stands up to the bold ginger in this recipe. This is a moist, spicy and not-too-sweet gingerbread. The cake holds five to seven days when tightly wrapped and stored in the refrigerator, but is especially good served at room temperature or warmed. Whipped cream is always good on gingerbread, as is a blend of whipped cream cheese and sour cream lightly sweetened with honey. This gingerbread works best with the more common mild molasses as opposed to a blackstrap molasses.

• 2 halves of dried pears, cut into 1/4-in. pieces and soaked in 1/2 c. hot water for 30 minutes.

• 2 c., less 2 tbsp., unbleached all-purpose flour (measured by dipping and leveling)

• Generous tsp. baking soda

• Generous 1/2 tsp. salt

• 1 tbsp. ground ginger

• 3/4 tsp. ground cinnamon

• 1/4 tsp. ground cloves

• 1/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper

• 6 tbsp. unsalted butter, melted

• 3/4 c. mild or dark molasses

• 3/4 c. very hot water (190 degrees)

• 1/3 c. tightly packed dark brown sugar

• 1 egg

• 1 medium-size, firm-ripe Bosc pear, peeled, cored and cut into 1-in. chunks

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Butter and flour a light-colored metal 8-inch-square baking pan. Set the dried pears to soak.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, salt, ginger, cinnamon, cloves and black pepper. Drain the pears, and pat dry.

In a separate large mixing bowl, beat together the butter, molasses, hot water and brown sugar. When almost frothy, beat in the egg, and gradually add the flour mixture, and the fresh and dried pears. Stir just until thoroughly blended.

Pour the batter into the pan. Bake for 35 minutes, or until a tester inserted in center of cake comes out clean. For a moist gingerbread, cool in the pan on a rack. For a drier consistency, cool the gingerbread in the pan for 10 minutes, then turn it out of the pan and set it on a rack until it cools to room temperature.

Nutrition information per serving of 8:

Calories345Fat10 gSodium215 mg

Carbohydrates62 gSaturated fat6 gCalcium91 mg

Protein4 gCholesterol49 mgDietary fiber2 g

Diabetic exchanges per serving: 2 bread/starch, 2 other carb, 2 fat.