8.24.2010

Pear Amaretto Crumble Cake and the Giveaway Winner!


We're back and we had a wonderful time! I'll do a post soon on the trip.

I find out tomorrow about the wrist. Keep your fingers crossed for me....I am sick and tired of this cast!
Will be visiting all of you ASAP.

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I hate to say this in print, but September is nearly upon us. Good grief. And in September I am hosting a coffee and meeting for 40 women which means gracing my table with muffins and sweet breads. I'm getting really bored with my old standbys so have been searching for some new and unusual recipes. And did I ever hit the jackpot with my new Ottolenghi cookbook. What a gem!


I found two to use, but the Pear and Amaretto Crumble Cake was my first experiment. Doesn't that sound wonderful? I made two small cakes with the recipe and gave some to two of my most trusted critics...they'll be totally honest.

This crumble cake is moist, has the most marvelous flavor and is filled with lovely sweet fresh pear chunks. Comfort food. Fabulous with tea or coffee. And I got enthusiastic seconds from my friends. So that's #1. I still have one more to try in this book and then I think I will also serve financiers. And maybe some really delightful creamy lemon bars for those serious sweet lovers.  Do you think perhaps I should add some healthy fruit?

Pear and Amaretto Crumble Cake

Ottolenghi, The Cookbook




Ingredients for the cake:
melted butter and fine bread crumbs for the baking pans

1/2 apple, peeled and diced

1 pear, peeled and diced

1/4 cup toasted walnuts, roughly chopped

grated zest of 1 lemon

2 tablespoons Amaretto liqueur

1- 3/4 cups flour

3/4 teaspoon baking powder

3/4 teaspoon cinnamon

1/3 teaspoon cloves

generous 1/4 cup almond flour

3 eggs

2/3 cup sunflower oil

1- 1/4 scant cups sugar

1/3 teaspoon salt

Ingredients for the crumble:1 1/3 cups flour
1/4 cup sugar
7 ounces cold unsalted butter, cut into small cubes

Method for the cake:
Preheat oven to 340°.

Grease two small loaf pans and then sprinkle with fine bread crumbs


Mix the apple, pear, walnuts, lemon zest and Amaretto. Set aside.


Sift together the dry ingredients, including the almond flour.Separate two eggs and mix the two yolks with the whole third egg. Beat the sugar and sunflower oil for about a minute. Add the 2 yolks and the whole egg. Add the dry ingredients, followed by the fruit mixture. Stop the machine as soon as everything is incorporated.


Beat the eggs whites with the salt until stiff peaks form. Fold into the batter carefully. Divide into the two loaf pans and top with the crumble. Bake for 40-45 minutes or until a cake tester comes out clean.


Method for the crumble:
Mix the flour, sugar and butter together in a bowl only until the butter is incorporated. If you beat it too long, it will turn into dough. 



Last but not least, The End of Summer Giveaway Winner: The lucky winner is: Sam from  My Carolina Kitchen. Congratulations, Sam! Please email your mailing information to bsmithw@gmail.com so I can get your delicious fruit jams in the mail today!

57 comments:

  1. Welcome back! That cake looks wonderful and must taste heavenly!

    Congrats to Sam!

    Cheers,

    Rosa

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  2. Welcome back. Anxious to hear about the trip to my favorite island. Good luck on the wrist also. Now...down to business....that crumble cake looks out of this world. Looks like a very interesting cookbook also.

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  3. Congratulations to Sam! I wish you could get a piece of that crumble cake off to me. But, thanks for the recipe. I'm ready for some new ideas as well and fall makes me think pear.

    Best,
    Bonnie

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  4. Ah, I see you have discovered my favorite cookbook in the world. What a delicious looking loaf cake, I'm going to have to try that one.
    *kisses* HH

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  5. Welcome back! That looks and sounds heavenly. Party of me wants to snark that there's fruit in this recipe's name even, but realistically, I think I'd add a very basic, fresh fruit tray to the offerings. I've been serving fresh fruit and/or veggies at all the committee and team meetings, and they're getting devoured!

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  6. We have all missed your wonderful comments!! Glad to have you back and hope the cast and the party come off splendidly!!! Great recipe to share... pears are in season any day now up north... I look forward to making the bread.

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  7. Hey Barbara! Glad your back, and this cake looks really perfect. The idea of pear and amaretto does sound extra wonderful...
    Oh, and congrats to Sam-that's so fun!
    p.s. hope everything goes well tomorrow

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  8. Mmm, Barbara, I love this! The pear-almond pairing (or pearing... ha ha ha) is really great. Fingers crossed for the wrist, I know how it feels :(

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  9. So glad you had a good time Barbara - hope the hand is on the wrist. The cake looks magnificent! I love crumble cakes. Good to have you back. Lucie x

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  10. That cake does look wonderful, congrats to Sam, and good luck on the wrist!!

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  11. Barbara...how nice for you to be back...and yes it would also be great for that pesky cast to come off...I certainly experienced it and it drove me nuts.

    About Amaretto...I just finished posting a chock full list of great recipes with it. I am permitting myself to share yours and I will link it to the post pronto.

    I also tried your sorbet...and that also should be mentioned very soon too.

    Thanks for sharing a recipe that holds one of my favourite liquors ;o)

    Ciao for now,
    Claudia

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  12. Welcome back! That's a great looking cake!

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  13. Welcome back, Barbara! I'll be thinking good thoughts about your wrist.

    What a beautiful cake. It looks and sounds delicious. Looks like you found a great cookbook. I'll cast a vote for some fruit :)

    Congratulations to your winner!

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  14. That cookbook looks awesome. And the pear amaretto crumble cake looks absolutely delicious! i don't bake with pears nearly enough :) I cannot believe it's almost September... Though it's rainy and cold here in Boston, so it does feel kind of real :(

    Sues

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  15. So glad you had a good vacation, and hope that your arm is healing nicely! That crumble cake looks so good. It sounds like it would be fabulous with a cup of tea!

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  16. What a gorgeous cake! I love the use of almond meal in baking - I find it makes the finished product so moist and gives a nice dense crumb. And pear and almonds are a fabulous combination!

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  17. I'm so glad to hear you had a good time! The crumble cake looks amazing -- oh to be a guest at your table! ;) Congrats to the lucky winner!

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  18. Welcome back and glad to know that you had a great vacation. This crumble cake looks so delicious!

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  19. What an interesting cake! I would love a slice. Hope your wrist is alright

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  20. Glad to see you back! And you KNOW I'll be having love for anything with Amaretto in it! Looks so good.

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  21. What a scrumptious cake with that wonderful crumb topping. This is my favorite kind of sweet treat.

    I hope your wrist is healed and you get that awful cast off. And welcome back.

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  22. Barbara, I'm so glad you are back and had a nice vacation. I've got my fingers crossed that your cast comes off soon. It would be driving me crazy (well, crazier than I already am).

    I'm trilled to be the winner in your fruit jam give-away. My email is on the way to you with my mailing address. I can't wait to give these yummy jams a try.

    Again, so glad you're back. I've missed you. As you can see from the comments, everyone else has missed you too. Welcome home.
    Sam

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  23. Oh la la, what a beautiful crumble cake! I love that dense texture, hmmm can I have a slice for my breakfast with my coffee?

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  24. That cake looks wonderful. Welcome back

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  25. Welcome back Barbara, I have missed you and your delightful blog!! I hope your cast comes off soon and you are back to yourself asap. I can't wait to hear about your trip as I love to travel and cook, so I know your adventures are going to inspire me so much.
    I am going to get this cookbook, your review and photos have me very excited to add this to our home cookbook collection.
    xxx
    Have a great weekend

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  26. The cake looks incredible, love the amaretto in it! Welcome back!

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  27. welcome back! i love the look of that cake, especially with the pears, gorgeous!

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  28. welcome back, Barbara--and good luck getting that pesky cast off--

    this looks like a terrific recipe, transitioning into fall!

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  29. Welcome back!
    The pear loaf cake is calling my name-it looks moist and delicious!
    I can't believe that fall is just around the corener!

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  30. excxellent--a uniquely-flavored and dense loaf topped with a perfect dose of crumble. great recipe!

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  31. Welcome back!
    Your cake looks fantastic. I love crumb toppings, so I'd be in hog heaven with this little cake.
    It seems to me that fresh fruit is always welcome at meeting.
    Congrats to Sam.
    Mimi

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  32. Oh it's nice to see you back Barbara. And with another wonderful recipe!
    My fingers are crossed!!!
    hugs

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  33. I wish you good news on your wrist tomorrow.

    This pear crumb cake looks so moist and fabulous with the topping. I like that you added Amaretto liqueur to the ingredients, it must have made it so good!

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  34. It has been an excellent year for pears so this recipe would come in very handy.

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  35. I have loved the salads from this book and so now it is high time I tried the baked goods; looks yummy and I need to find uses for all the upcoming pears.

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  36. Hope your cast is off and your wrist has healed! And, this cake looks amazing. The crumble topping must be delectable.

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  37. Oh Barbara,

    You visit is a sweet surprise, literally! Your pear confection is lovely....I have made a pear/chocolate tart in the past, and even though SEPTEMBER is coming upon us (and I am a teacher...having mixed feelings about this!), but one thing is for sure; pear delights help ease the pain!!!!! Autumn soirées with all the glorious possibilities make the coming season a lovely one. THANK YOU FOR VISITING!!! Anita
    I hope your wrist gets back into shape soon!

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  38. This looks fabulous, love the ingredients. Love your blog!

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  39. Welcome back Barbara! Can't wait to hear about the trip and hope the wrist is all healed.

    That cookbook is on my wishlist :) The cake certainly looks magnificent too. As for your choices, forget fruit, how about something for the chocolate lovers? ;P

    Oh and lastly, congrats Sam!

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  40. Your crumble cake sounds wonderful and looks delicious. Re fresh fruit: I put it out but no one really eats it. A bit like holiday vegetable platters :-). Have a grand day. Blessings...Mary

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  41. Oh yum - what a delicious sounding cake. I love the flavor of amaretto and it sounds great with the fruit and walnuts. Adding the crumble - even better!

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  42. Welcome back! This cake would be divine. Love it.

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  43. Welcome back Barbara.
    Looks like a wonderful place you went to on your holidays and look forward to seeing your photos.
    The cake looks delicious and thanks for sharing the recipe.
    I hope that your wrist is healing well and you will have the cast off soon.

    Happy weekend
    Hugs
    Carolyn

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  44. This looks fantastic. May I come to your meeting? The meetings I go to never have anything nearly this delicious!

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  45. That looks amazingly good Barbara! And good luck with your event, it sounds like you'll definitely be busy! ;)

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  46. Oh I want this cookbook so badly! Everything I've ever seen from it looks fantastic, including this fabulous cake! Amaretto is a new obsession of mine...

    I'm keeping my fingers crossed for your wrist!

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  47. It looks fantastic. Everything's better with a crumble topping.

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  48. I could eat the entire top off that cake. Uh, would that be wrong? LOL

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  49. love these fresh bread...

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  50. I love the sound of this cake Barbara! I don't cook enough with pears and don't know why because I love them. The crumble topping is a nice touch too.

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  51. Barbara, the fruit preserves arrived yesterday (on Saturday no less) by FedX. I can't wait to try them.

    Thank you once again!
    Sam

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  52. Oh, goodness the crumb on top of that bread looks wonderful.
    ~ingrid

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  53. My Gosh what a combinations of goodness. I have bookmarked the recipe to make. I hope mine turns out as beautiful as yours.

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  54. This is my hubby's kind of cake. I want to make it. Pears go on the shopping list.

    I tried to access your blog about four times and each time, my computer froze or did something strange. I think it wanted to keep me away from the calories.

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  55. Barbara:

    This looks and sounds wonderful. One question, what is almond flour?

    I'm here via A transplanted English Rose. I'm enjoying digging through your blog.

    - The Tablescaper

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  56. I just linked to this recipe the other day on my blog (www.progchik.com). I love Ottolenghi's stuff! This cake turned out to be amazingly delicious.

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