Pat's Western Slope Pear & Ginger Cake, Pat O'Connor

Colorado pears a winner

 

Grandma's recipe takes the cake in national contest

Posted: 08/30/2006 01:00:00 AM MDT

By The Denver Postdenverpost.com

 

Denver caterer Pat O'Connor won a national contest with his grandmother's pear cake recipe, which will appear with 49 others in a cookbook sponsored by Thermador ovens to celebrate the 50th anniversary of its built-in wall oven. O'Connor, his mother and brother run Le Petit Gourmet Catering. He calls his liqueur-spiked cake a "showcase for Colorado pears." Chef Bradley Ogden, winner of the James Beard Foundation 2004 "Best New Restaurant" award for his self-named restaurant at Caesar's Palace, Las Vegas, led a panel of experts in judging the recipes and selecting one winner per state. "Pat's Western Slope Pear & Ginger Cake was chosen for utilizing the scrumptious pears from Colorado's Grand Junction area - a regional favorite - and pear liqueur for an exciting twist," said Ogden in a release. The book, "Taste of America," features color photos of each recipe and is available on thermador.com. The Denver Thermador showroom is located at 11220 E. 53rd Ave.

Western Slope Pear & Ginger Cake

Pat O'Connor won a Thermador oven contest with his grandmother's recipe. Serve it warm with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream. Makes 8 servings. Ingredients Cake:

Butter for pie dish

1 cup all purpose flour

1 teaspoon ground ginger

1/4 teaspoon salt

6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) butter, room temperature

2/3 cup (firmly packed) golden brown sugar

1 tablespoon grated peeled fresh ginger

2 large eggs

3/4 cup whole milk

3 tablespoons pear liqueur

  Topping:

2 firm but ripe pears

1 tablespoon melted butter

2 tablespoons (firmly packed) golden brown sugar

1/4 teaspoon ground ginger

Powdered sugar Directions For cake: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter 9- inch-diameter pie dish. Combine flour, ground ginger, and salt in small bowl. Using an electric mixer, cream butter, brown sugar and fresh ginger in a medium bowl. Add eggs 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in milk and pear liqueur. Beat in flour mixture. Spread batter in prepared dish. For topping: Peel and core pears. Cut into quarters, then cut quarters into slices. Arrange pear slices in a spoke pattern on batter. Brush pears with melted butter. Mix brown sugar and ginger in a small bowl. Sprinkle over pears. Bake cake until browned and tester inserted near center comes out clean, about 50 minutes. Sprinkle with powdered sugar. Serve warm.

Read more: Colorado pears a winner - The Denver Post http://www.denverpost.com/ci_4253232#ixzz2Oh7AUN4V
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Chocolate & Mint Cheesecake Bars

~~*** Chocolate & Mint Cheesecake Bars***~~

I would like to give credit to the designer of this recipe, but it came to me on facebook. If it is your recipe, please let me know and I will give you credit.

INGREDIENTS:
1 (18.25 ounce) package chocolate fudge cake mix with pudding (such as Betty Crocker® Triple Chocolate Fudge
cake mix)
1/2 cup butter, softened
3 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
1 (16 ounce) container cream cheese flavored frosting (such as Betty Crocker ® Rich and Creamy)
3 eggs
6 drops green food coloring, or as needed
3 drops creme de menthe candy flavoring (such as Wilton®), or as needed
1 (10 ounce) package dark chocolate and mint chips (such as Nestle® Toll House ® Dark Chocolate and Mint Morsels)

DIRECTIONS:
1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C).

2. Beat cake mix and butter with an electric mixer on low speed in a bowl until crumbly, 3 to 5 minutes. Set aside 1 cup for topping.

3. Press remaining crumb mixture into bottom of an ungreased 9x13 inch pan.

4. Place in preheated oven and bake until edges begin to crisp, about 10 minutes. Remove from the oven and cool slightly.

5. Beat cream cheese and frosting with an electric mixer on medium speed in a bowl until smooth, 3 to 5 minutes.

6. Drop eggs one at a time into the cream cheese mixture and beat until blended, 2 to 3 minutes.

7. Pour in 6 drops green food coloring, or more for a darker color; beat until color is blended, about 2 minutes.

8. Beat in creme de menthe candy flavoring until thoroughly blended, about 2 minutes. Taste and add more flavoring if needed.

9. Pour batter over the chocolate crust in the 9x13 pan.

10. Sprinkle 1 cup reserved crumb mixture over cheesecake batter.

11. Top with 1 cup chocolate and mint morsels; reserve remaining morsels for finishing touches.

12. Place the pan in the preheated oven and bake until set, 42 to 45 minutes.

13. Remove pan from oven and cool completely.