-PEARS-
1/4 c Fresh lemon juice 15 1/8″-thick slices peeled
8 lg Firm but ripe pears w/ stems -fresh ginger
4 c Ruby Port 2 Cinnamon sticks
2 c Sugar 1 Vanilla bean, split length.
CAKE
1/4 c Finely chopped peeled 1/4 ts Ground cloves
-fresh ginger 1 c Unsalted butter, room temp.
2 1/2 tb Sugar 3/4 c Firmly packed dk brown sugar
2 2/3 c All-purpose flour 1/3 c Unsulfured (light) molasses
1 1/4 ts Baking soda 1/3 c Strong brewed coffee
1 tb Ground ginger 4 lg Eggs, room temp
2 ts Ground cinnamon 1 c Buttermilk, room temperature
3/4 ts Dry mustard powder
-CREAM-
1 c Heavy or whipping cream 1/2 ts Vanilla extract
2 tb Powdered sugar 1/4 ts Ground ginger
FOR PEARS: Add lemon juice to large bowl of cold water. Peel pears,
leaving stems intact. Use melon baller to remove core through bottom
end. Add pears to bowl of water. Bring Port, sugar, ginger, cinnamon
sticks and vanilla bean to boil in heavy large Dutch oven over high
heat, sturring until sugar dissolves. Reduce heat to medium-low and
simmer syrup 10 minutes. Drain pears and add to syrup. Simmer until
tender, turning frequently, about 20 minutes. Using slotted spoon,
transfer pears to large container and stand upright. Boil syrup until
reduced to 1 3/4 cups, about 18 minutes. Pour syrup over pears.
Cover and chill. (Can be prepared 1 day ahead.) FOR CAKE: Position
reack in center of oven and preheat to 350F. Butter 9x13x2-inch pan.
Dust pan with flour; tap out excess. Mix chopped ginger and 2 1/2
tablespoons sugar in small bowl. Let stand until syrup forms,
stirring frequently, about 30 minutes. Mix flour, baking soda, and
spices in medium bowl. Using electric mixer, beat butter and brown
sugar in large bowl until fluffy. Add molasses, coffee and chopped
ginger mixture and beat until blended (mixture may look curdled). Add
eggs 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Reduce speed to
low. Add dry ingredients alternately with buttermilk, beginning and
ending with dry ingredients and beating after each addition until
just blended. Transfer bater to prepared pan. Bake until tester
inserted into center comes out clean, about 30 minutes. Transfer to
rack and cool in pan. (Can be prepared 8 hours ahead. Cover and let
stand at room temperature.) FOR CREAM: Beat whipping cream, powdered
sugar, vanilla extract and ground ginger in large bowl until firm
peaks form. (Can be prepared 3 hours ahead. Cover and refrigerate.
Rewhip if necessary.) Cut gingerbread into 2 1/2 inch squares. Place
1 cake square and 1 pear on each of 8 plates. Spoon some syrup over
each pear. Spoon dollop of whipped cream alongside.
Yields
8 servings