Seasonal Ontario Food

I am a late-comer to discovering the joys of frangipane, which is a traditional European tart filling that falls somewhere between marzipan and custard. That it is thickened and set with ground nuts rather than flour makes it ideal for people avoiding refined carbohydrates; it only needs to have the sweetener reduced and partially or totally changed to an artificial one. (I did live it up and use maple syrup; but it could be replaced with erythritol-monkfruit.) I've further reduced the chance of carbs by eliminating the crust, making this fall somewhere between a pudding and a soft cake. 

Almonds are the most traditional nut to use, but you could use all kinds of nuts to similar effect. I do think almonds are the best choice for matching with pears. I'm going to be looking for other fruit and nut pairings to be made the same way in the future; I am particularly looking forward to trying a pistachio-cherry combinations.

 

8 servings

1 hour - 20 minutes prep time

allow time to cool

 

 

1 1/2 cups ground almonds (almond flour)

2 tablespoons whole spelt flour

1/2 teaspoon almond extract

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/8 teaspoon salt

a good grate of nutmeg

a few good grinds of black pepper 

1/3 cup softened unsalted butter 

2 tablespoons to 1/4 cup maple syrup

3 large eggs

450 grams (3 large) Bartlett pears

Mix the almonds in a mixing bowl with the extracts and seasonings. Add the butter, and beat it in with an electric mixer. Add the maple syrup and beat it in as well. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. 

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Butter a 10" pie plate and dust it with a tablespoon of ground almonds. Scrape the batter into it, and spread it out evenly. 

 

Peel and quarter the pears. Cut out the cores and cut each quarter into 3 slices lengthwise. Arrange them over the batter in an attractive pattern and press them gently into it so that the batter and pears are level with each other. 

Bake for 40 minutes, until set and very lightly browned. Let cool completely before serving. 

Last year at this time I made Acelgas con Patatas - Swiss Chard with Potatoes.