pear and pecan cake
rating:
by Nigel Slater, from the Sainsburys magazine.
3 medium, ripe pears - Cornice is best
juice of 1/2 lemon
185g soft butter
185g golden caster sugar
125g plain flour
3 large eggs
75g ground almonds
1 tsp baking powder
75ml milk
a few drops of vanilla extract
60g pecan nut halves
icing sugar, for dusting
23cm square baking tin, 5cm deep, lined with baking parchment
preheat oven to 170 C / gas mark 3.
slice pears into thick slices, coring and tossing in lemon juice as you go. Peeled, unpeeled - it's up to you. I wouldn't bother, personally.
cut butter into small chunks and beat with sugar in an electric mixer until pale and creamy. Add the eggs to the mix one at a time. Fold in flour, almonds and baking powder, then milk and vanilla.
scrape into the baking tin. Press pecans and pear slices lightly on top and bake for about 1 hr 10 mins until golden and risen. Leave to cool slightly, then dust with icing sugar and scoff.
