It's beginning to look a lot like...

By Shana Hillman

Photos courtesy of the fabulous Shana Hillman

It took awhile, but I think the Christmas spirit has finally hit me - and not a moment too soon - it's almost upon us! This cake is a perfect addition to Canadian or American Thanksgiving tables in the fall when the pears are flooding the markets, and of course, gingerbread is a natural at Christmas. There are still some Ontario Bosc pears in the grocery stores. I suppose you could also use preserved pears if you canned a bunch in August, but I have never tried it - if you do and it's a success, please let me know in the comments!

This cake is dark, spicy, and fancy enough for the fanciest of company, but still relatively simple. It comes by way of the now defunct Gourmet magazine (single tear).

I even make this in a good nonstick pan (I like USA PAN with an environmentally-friendly, non-stick coating that is the stuff of dreams and miracles. I got mine from The Cook's Place here in Toronto). Eliminate the whole "cooking the sugar in a skillet" thing and simply arrange the pears on top of melted butter and sprinkled brown sugar.

I leave you to ponder this - because I have a heck of a lot of wrapping and cooking to do!

Written by:

Shana Hillman

Shana Hillman grew up in a small town in northern Ontario where she gained experience in animal husbandry and strawberry farming. She has called Toronto home for the last 13 years. She loves cooking, preserving and growing Beagle-resistant vegetables in her sunny backyard. Recent highlights have included cheesemaking on the kitchen counter and curing pancetta in the basement, much to the horror of her adoring, yet dubious husband, and to the delight of her two ravenous Beagles (who are now banned from the basement until further notice).

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