Warm Pear Custard Tarts with Pomegranate

This is a jazzed up version of a classic french custard tart from the Normandy region, traditionally made with apples but pears are also a popular choice.

The sweet crust tarts are filled with sliced pears and a cream custard, which is then baked and finally sprinkled on top with pomegranate seeds.
The addition of pomegranate gives the tarts a vibrant burst of flavor and crunch.

The tartness of the fruit is a nice contrast to the sweetness of this tart and adds a splash of vivid color scattered over the tarts like little ruby jewels.

Warm Pear Custard Tarts with Pomegranate:
(adapted from Julia Child's Tarte Normande Aux Poires in
Mastering the Art Of French Cooking)

Makes 6 small tarts

• Pâte Sablée dough for 6 tart shells (Recipe and directions in my Lemon Tarts post).

• x2 medium pears (peeled, cored and sliced)
• 1/3 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

• 1 large egg
• 1/3 cup granulated sugar
• 1/4 cup sifted flour
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 1 tablespoon cognac (I altered this- recipe calls for 3 tbsp)
  
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract (my addition)

• 1/2 cup of pomegranate seeds (my addition)
  

Pre-heat oven to 375F

Par bake the tart shells, directions in my Lemon Tarts post.

Peel, core and slice the pears.

Toss them in a bowl with the sugar and cinnamon, coating the pears well.

Arrange the pears in the tart shells and bake in the oven at 375F for about 20 minutes.

Remove and let cool.

In a mixing bowl, beat the egg and sugar together until it becomes thick and pale yellow.

Beat in the flour and then the cream, cognac and vanilla.

Pour the custard in the tart shells filling them almost right to the top.

Return the tarts to the oven at 375F for about 10 minutes until the cream begins to puff.

While the tarts are still warm from the oven sprinkle with the pomegranate seeds and serve.

Chai Spiced Pumpkin Bread

This chai spiced pumpkin bread brings the best of fall flavors together with warm fragrant Indian chai spices.
As the days begin to cool, there's nothing more perfect than this warmly spiced bread to take the chill out of those upcoming crisp days.

This bread is so luscious and moist. The earthy chai flavors enrich the hearty pumpkin taste and infuse the bread with the most wonderful aromas. The fragrance of your home while these are baking should be bottled up and made into a candle.

Chai Spiced Pumpkin Bread:
(makes 1 loaf)

• 1/2 cup butter (softened)
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 2 large eggs
  
• 1 can of pumpkin puree
• 2 black tea bags steeped in 1/4 cup hot milk (I used assam tea)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 1/4 tablespoons baking powder
  
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom
• 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
• pinch of black pepper
• pinch of all spice
  

Pre-heat oven to 350F

Cream the butter and sugar together in a large bowl.

Whisk in the eggs and vanilla extract.

Fold in the pumpkin puree and the milky tea
(make sure the tea has completely cooled before adding)

In another bowl mix together the all-purpose flour, salt, baking powder and baking soda.

Then add all the spices to this.

Add the flour mixture into the pumpkin mix.

Fold until just combined.

Grease a loaf pan and pour the mixture in.

Bake for 55-60 minutes at 350F

Allow to rest and cool on a rack.

Serve slightly warm and buttered, maybe with a nice cup of hot chai!

Cider Doughnuts

Apple Cider is back in season and that means cider doughnut time!
This is a doughnut that began to sell at apple orchards as a treat to accompany their farm fresh apple cider.
Now they can be found easily around the New England area, but you absolutely can't beat the taste of these when they are homemade.

The apple cider is subtle but definitely gives these doughnuts their classic fall flavor; and when combined with cinnamon and nutmeg the perfect apple spice is created.

Since moving to New York, these have become one of my favorite things about autumn.
There's nothing better than a cider doughnut with a cup of spiced apple cider on a crisp autumn day.

For more farmer's market pictures view my Flickr

Vermont Apple Cider Doughnuts: (makes 12)
(adapted from a recipe recommended on Chowhound)

• 1 cup Apple Cider
• 1 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup butter (softened)
• 2 large eggs
• 1/2 cup buttermilk
• 3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
• Vegetable oil for frying
• 1 cup cinnamon-sugar mixed
  

Boil the apple cider in small saucepan until it is reduced to 1/4 cup. Allow to cool down fully.

In a large bowl beat the sugar with the butter until smooth. Beat in the eggs.
Then add the buttermilk and reduced apple cider.

In another bowl mix together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, salt and nutmeg.
Add the flour mixture slowly to the liquid mixture and mix enough to combine.

Transfer the dough to a floured board and knead slightly to combine well without over working the dough.

Roll or pat the dough to a 1/2 inch thickness.

Cut with an approximately 3-inch round cookie cutter

Then cut in the middle of each with a smaller round cookie cutter.

(Re-roll scraps and continue with the cutting process)

Place the doughnuts on a tray lined with grease proof paper.

Take a deep pan and add enough oil to fill it approx 3 inches deep.

Fry a few doughnuts at a time, turning once or twice until they are browned and fully cooked through.

Allow the hot doughnuts to drain on some paper towel.

While the doughnuts are still warm, coat them in the cinnamon-sugar mixture.

Eat these doughnuts warm and freshly made.

Pear and Ginger Muffins

An essential part of autumn is smell. Walking into a home where you can smell pumpkin spice, or an apple pie baking is really what autumn is all about for me.
These muffins are definitely one way to bring these aromas into your home. The comforting pear scent will permeate your kitchen and taste buds alike with a sweet and slightly spicy scent, an appetizing autumn invitation.

I absolutely love pears; the ginger really intensifies the sweet pear flavor without overpowering it and the pears give the muffins a really luscious texture.
I've been eating these almost everyday for breakfast or as a snack; they even work perfectly when partnered with a good pungent cheese.

The pears I used were the first ones I bought this season from the green market. There are so many varieties of pears and honestly I love them all but I chose to use Bartlett pears this time, they're always very sweet.

Lovely pears at the Green market in Union square NY.

For more pictures from the market check out my Flickr.

Pear and Ginger Muffins: (adapted from Nigella Lawson's Nigella Express)
( makes 12)

• 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 3/4 cup white sugar
• 1/2 cup light brown sugar (and more for sprinkling)
• 1 teaspoon ground ginger
• 2/3 cup sour cream (I used Greek yogurt)
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 1 tablespoon honey
• 2 eggs
• 1 1/2 cups small diced pear (peeled and cored)

Pre-heat the oven to 400F

In a large bowl, add the flour, baking powder, white sugar, brown sugar and the ground ginger.
Mix well to combine.

In another bowl whisk together the sour cream, oil, honey and eggs. Fold this in to the flour mixture.

Mix in the diced pear gently.
(Dice the pears right before you add them, or they will start to turn brown.)

Line a 12-bun muffin tin with muffin papers and fill each muffin case with the mixture evenly.

Sprinkle the top of each muffin with brown sugar.

Bake in the oven for 20 mins at 400F

When the muffins are golden and baked through, remove and place on a cooling rack.

These are lovely when eaten warm.

They smell amazing! I need a candle that smells just like this :)

Butter Pecan Bundts

Autumn is here! Well, not officially, but here in the United States, Labor Day represents the summer season coming to an end and opens the door to fall.
I always look forward to the crisp autumn weather and the baking opportunities the new season brings.
Some of my favorite fall ingredients include: pears, apples, pumpkins, pecans blackberries, figs, walnuts and many more.

I'm going to kick the new season off with something that has become one of my favorite breakfast items, butter pecan bundts; Of course these bundts needn't be purely for breakfast.

I recently bought the cutest rose shaped mini bundt molds, so I used them for these. They're so pretty, I'll have to make pink bundts someday so they look like roses.
Butter Pecan Bundts:
(makes 12 small bundts or 1 large bundt)

• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
  
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
  
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  
• 1/3 cup + 1 tablespoon white sugar
• 1/2 cup softened butter (1 stick)
• 1/2 cup + 2 tablespoons Greek yogurt
• 1/8 teaspoon orange zest
• 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
  
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• A pinch of nutmeg
  
• 2 eggs
  
• 3/4 cup chopped pecans (with 3 tablespoons butter and 4 tablespoons brown sugar)
  

Roughly chop the pecans.

Heat a small pan to medium/high heat. Add the 2 tablespoons butter and allow to melt and bubble. Then add the 4 tablespoon brown sugar and mix with the butter.

Immediately add the chopped pecans to the pan. Allow the pecans to brown while the sugar dissolves and caramelizes slightly ( keep stirring).

Once the pecans are browned and sticky, remove them to a plate and place in the refrigerator to cool down.

Pre-heat the oven to 350F

In a large bowl, cream the white sugar and butter together with an electric whisk until smooth.

Whisk in the eggs and beat for about 3 minutes.

Add the salt, vanilla, nutmeg, orange zest and whisk.

Briefly whisk in the Greek yogurt.

In another bowl combine the flour, baking powder and baking soda, then sift this into the bowl with the wet mixture. Whisk well to combine.

Fold in the cooled, chopped pecans.

Grease the bundt molds and fill each one 2/3rd's full.

Bake in the oven at 350F for 35-45 minutes.

Allow to rest on a cooling rack.

Breakfast time!

It also makes a really great afternoon treat with tea.