Walnut Cake

I confess I don't often eat desserts. It's not that I don't love them - I do. But if the meal is good - and it often is - I often don't have much interest in eating more at the end of it. I look at all those photos you guys post showing spectacular desserts and I drool at the sight of them. But the same problem arises each and every time I'm done with a meal - I'm full! Boring, I know, but what can I do?

Now, the obvious solution would be to wait a bit, let the meal settle, and then go back for dessert. It works, and I've occasionally done that. Thanksgiving is the perfect example. Sitting around the table with 13 family members, all talking and laughing and sharing stories - it's easy to take time eating the meal, which many of us helped to make. It's one of the reasons I love this holiday. I get together with my family, whom I love, and it's about being together and sharing a meal - not about shopping for gifts.

At the end of that meal, we were treated to the traditional pumpkin pies, which my eldest brother has perfected. This year he experimented with 2 different crusts, both of which were perfect.

And then came my sister's walnut cake.

When I looked at it, I thought it might be somewhat dry. WRONG! It was perfect. I mean perfect as in this would be the cake to bring to any gathering and enjoy watching people's faces as they took their first bite. And then their second slice. And then watch them eying that last slice, debating whether or not to be polite and let someone else have it, or bold enough to reach for it themselves, halfheartedly offering to share. My sister, who has mastered the art of baking as well as anyone I've met, always offers an alternative to pumpkin pie for those who aren't partial to it. Every year it's terrific. This year it was an understated miracle.
I'm not certain where she got the recipe, but here it is as she sent it to me:

OLIVER'S GRANDMOTHER'S WALNUT CAKE WITH SAUTÉED PEARS AND CINNAMON CREAM

Serves 6-8

Cake:

1 stick of unsalted butter

3C walnuts

1C sugar

5 eggs, room temp.

1/2 C flour

2 Tbls. Kirsch (I used 1 Tbls. Poire William)

xx sugar

350 degrees

Use 2 tea. of the butter to grease a 9" round baking pan. Line bottom with parchment paper. Use 1 tea. of the butter to grease the paper.

Put walnuts on baking sheet and bake for about 10 minutes til they darken slightly. Cool. Grind in processor to fine powder. In a large bowl, beat remaining butter with the sugar until light and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes. Beat in eggs, one at a time. Add nuts, flour, and kirsch. Mix well and pour into prepared pan. Bake approximately 30 minutes, depending upon oven. When cool, dust with xx sugar.

Sauteed Pears:

2 Tbls. unsalted butter

6 small or 4 large Bosc pears, cored, peeled, and cut into 1/4" dice

2 Tbls. brown sugar

3/4 tea. ground cinnamon

1 tea. ground nutmeg

2 Tbls. fresh lemon juice

In a saute pan or skillet, melt the butter over medium-high heat and cook the pears, stirring, for about 5 minutes, or just until softened. Sprinkle with the sugar. Add the cinnamon, nutmeg, and lemon juice and mix well. Cover to keep warm.

Cream:

1C heavy cream

1Tbls. sugar

1 tea. ground cinnamon

Using an electric mixer set on medium-high speed, whip the cream and sugar until the cream is thick but not dry. Add the cinnamon and continue whipping until the cream is the desired consistency. Serve the cake topped with the pears and the cream.