25th November - Bowes-Lyon Pear Cake

A photo which does not do justice to Em's Splendid cake

Carolling at the Winter fair was slightly less harrowing today. The crowds were less than yesterday and a few people even stopped to listen! One of the event sponsors, who dutifully spent the morning manning the ‘Priceless People Area’(a rather lonely pursuit) turned out to be a local man and a shooter to boot. Needless to say a good half hour was spent tracing back mutual connections before the conversation turned to boar management and shooting ducks. It turns out that on Romney Marsh it is traditional for ' everyone ' to go duck flighting on the opening day of the season (1st September). Shooting starts at 3 AM and the coordinated effort ensures that the wildfowl are kept flying and moving about the area so most guns get a shot.

Em always likes to have cake to offer guests and when C is around it becomes a necessity. Like other large pieces of machinery he uses a lot of fuel and if he’s not kept topped up is liable to break down - not in tears usually, he just gets bloody grumpy. The latest baked offering is a variation on the theme of Queen Mother's cake, replacing dates with our dried comice pears. It has become an instant favourite -satisfyingly dense and moist with a mysterious moreish quality which no one can quite put their finger on. If I record the recipe there is no excuse for her not to make it again (soon!)

Bowes-Lyon Pear Cake

Ingredients:

8 oz sugar (brown preferably)

3 oz butter

1 tsp vanilla extract

10 oz plain flour

1 tsp baking powder

8 oz dried pears

1 tsp bicarbonate of soda

For the topping:

5 tbsp dark brown sugar

2 tbsp butter

2 tbsp milk (cream if you have it)

Method:

• Add the bicarbonate of soda to the dried pears (cut up into small pieces) cover them with the cup of boiling water until the fruit is soft (just while making the rest of the cake is normally enough).
• Melt the butter and sugar.
• Add the vanilla extract and then combine this mixture with the flour and baking powder.
• Add the soaking liquor and then lastly fold in the pears.
• Spread mixture into a lined baking tray.
• Bake in a medium oven until a skewer pushed into the centre of the cake comes out clean.
• Melt topping ingredients together, stir until partially cool and thickened and pour over the cooled cake whilst it is still in the tin.