One of the nicest hostess gifts I ever received at a dinner party was a jar of homemade marmalade and a brown paper bag full of biscuits, which my husband and I devoured the next morning as we cleaned up the mess. Since then, I've taken breakfast to many a party, either homemade or thoughtfully purchased. Consider baked goods, cultured butter and artisanal jam if you want to be decadent, or granola, fancy yogurt and exotic fruit for something on the lighter side. When it comes to Thanksgiving, I would opt for decadence, especially since whatever you bring probably has to compete with leftover pie (of which there can never be enough).
This tender crumb cake makes a luxuriously sweet breakfast and can be baked a day or two ahead. It's filled with honeyed pears, but feel free to substitute about a cup of any gently cooked and lightly sweetened fruit: apples, fuyu persimmon, quince, pineapple, blueberries, plums, peaches, grapes or even cranberry sauce. If you happen to have a jar of chestnut honey or other intense honey, this is a good place to use it.
And don't just bake this for the day after Thanksgiving. Take it to any dinner party, and you will be invited back. Pear Crumb Cake
Time: About an hour and a half, plus at least 2 hours to cool FOR THE PEARS:
1 tablespoon/14 grams unsalted butter
1 tablespoon/15 milliliters honey
2 small or 1 1/2 large pears, cored and sliced 1/4-inch thick
1 teaspoon/5 milliliters fresh lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon grated lemon zest
Pinch of salt FOR THE CRUMB TOPPING:
1 1/3 cups/165 grams all-purpose flour
1/3 cup/65 grams dark brown sugar, lightly packed
1/3 cup/65 grams light brown sugar, lightly packed
1 teaspoon/8 grams ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon/2 grams ground allspice
1/4 teaspoon/1 gram fine sea salt
1 stick/113 grams unsalted butter, melted FOR THE CAKE:
1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon/133 milliliters sour cream
3 large eggs
1 tablespoon/15 milliliters vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups/185 grams all-purpose flour
3/4 cup/150 grams granulated sugar
3/4 teaspoon/3 grams baking soda
3/4 teaspoon/2 grams baking powder
1/2 teaspoon/3 grams fine sea salt
1 stick/113 grams softened unsalted butter, cut into pieces 1. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Butter a 9-inch cake pan; line with parchment paper and butter the paper. 2. In a skillet, melt butter and honey. Add pears, lemon juice, nutmeg, zest and salt and sauté until the pears are just tender, 5 to 7 minutes. Cool. 3. For the topping, whisk together flour, sugars, spices and salt in a bowl. Pour in the melted butter and stir until crumbs form. 4. Whisk together sour cream, eggs and vanilla. In the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, mix flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Add softened butter and beat for 10 seconds to combine. Beat in egg mixture, continuing to beat until very smooth. 5. Pour batter into pan and top with the pear slices, spreading them out evenly. (If there is liquid in the pan with the pears, don't add it). Use your fingers to squeeze together large crumbs from the topping and scatter evenly on top of pears. 6. Bake for 50 to 65 minutes, until the cake is set and the center springs back when very gently pressed with a finger. A cake tester may come out with crumbs attached, but it shouldn't be wet. Transfer cake to a wire rack and cool completely, at least 2 hours before serving. Cake can be made a day ahead.
Yield: 8 to 12 servings © 2014 New York Times News Service