126 NOVEMBER 2019
AT MY TABLE from p. 128Pear Sticky Toffee Cakes with
Miso-Caramel Sauce
PHOTO P. 128
ACTIVE 30 MIN; TOTAL 1 HR 5 MIN
SERVES 12Drenched in a salty-sweet miso caramel,
these pear-studded, personal-size des-
serts are easy to bake in a muffin tin. Just
before serving, gently reheat the remain-
ing caramel sauce before spooning it over
the finished cakes.PEAR STICKY TOFFEE CAKES
1 cup dried dates (about 6 oz.), pitted
and coarsely chopped
1 cup water
1 cup all-purpose flour (about 4^1 / 4
oz.), plus more for dusting tin
1 tsp. ground cinnamon(^3) / 4 tsp. baking powder
(^3) / 4 tsp. baking soda
(^1) / (^2) tsp. kosher salt
(^3) / 4 cup packed light brown sugar
(^1) / 4 cup unsalted butter (2 oz.), plus
softened butter for greasing tin
2 large eggs
2 medium Bartlett or Anjou pears,
peeled, cored, and cut into^1 /^3 -inch
pieces (about 2 cups)
MISO-CARAMEL SAUCE
(^3) / 4 cup unsalted butter (6 oz.)
1 cup packed light brown sugar
(^1) / 2 cup white miso (organic, if possible)
1 cup heavy cream
WHIPPED CREAM
1 cup heavy cream
- Make the pear sticky toffee cakes:
Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a 12-cup
muffin tin with softened butter, and dust
with flour; set aside. Stir together dates
and 1 cup water in a small saucepan. Bring
to a boil over medium; cook, stirring occa-
sionally, until dates are softened and liquid
is mostly absorbed, about 5 minutes.
Remove from heat, and let cool 5 minutes.
Using a potato masher or fork, mash mix-
ture until mostly smooth; set aside.
2. Stir together flour, cinnamon, baking
powder, baking soda, and salt in a bowl; set
aside. Place brown sugar and butter in
bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle
attachment; beat on medium-high speed
until light and fluffy, 4 to 5 minutes. Add
eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each
addition. With mixer running on low speed,
gradually add flour mixture, beating until
just combined, 1 to 2 minutes, stopping to
scrape down sides of bowl as needed. Stir
in date mixture. Fold in pear pieces.
3. Spoon batter evenly into prepared muf-
fin tin, filling each cup about^1 / 3 inch from
top (about^1 / 3 cup each). (Discard any
remaining batter, or reserve for another
use.) Bake in preheated oven until a
wooden pick inserted in centers of cakes
comes out clean, 18 to 22 minutes.
4. Make the miso-caramel sauce: Melt
butter in a medium saucepan over
medium-low. Add brown sugar and miso;
whisk until dissolved, 1 to 2 minutes.
Whisk in heavy cream. Let mixture come
to a boil; cook, whisking constantly, 1 min-
ute. Remove from heat; set aside until
ready to use.
5. Once cakes are finished baking, remove
from oven; immediately poke holes all
over cakes with a wooden pick. Spoon
about 1 tablespoon miso-caramel sauce
over each cake. Let cakes cool in muffin
tin 20 minutes, occasionally poking addi-
tional holes to help sauce soak in.
6. Make the whipped cream: Beat heavy
cream in bowl of a stand mixer fitted with
the whisk attachment on medium-high
speed until soft peaks form, 1 to 2
minutes.
7. Run a small offset spatula around each
cake to help loosen from muffin tin. Invert
cakes onto individual serving plates; top
each with about 1^1 / 2 tablespoons miso-
caramel sauce. Serve with whipped
cream and remaining miso-caramel
sauce. —GAIL SIMMONS
MAKE AHEAD Cakes can be made the
night before and reheated for 10 minutes
at 325°F before adding miso-caramel
sauce. - Make the salad: Just before serving,
stir together honey and lemon juice in a
medium bowl. Add apple and squash, and
gently toss. Serve pie with Honeycrisp-
kabocha salad and licorice ice cream, and
garnish with lemon balm leaves.
MAKE AHEAD Pie dough can be prepared
and frozen up to 1 month in advance; thaw
overnight in refrigerator before using.
Mashed sweet potatoes can be cooked
and refrigerated up to 3 days ahead. Pie
can be baked 1 day ahead; proceed
through Step 3, tent with plastic wrap,
and chill until ready to serve.
Licorice Ice Cream
PHOTO P. 123
ACTIVE 40 MIN; TOTAL 1 HR 15 MIN, PLUS 8
HR REFRIGERATION AND 5 HR FREEZING
MAKES ABOUT 5 CUPSSteeped in milk and cream, best-quality
soft licorice infuses this velvety-smooth
ice cream base with anise and rich molas-
ses flavors. The result is milder in taste
and color than one might expect and
makes a delicious counterpart to Alecia
Moore’s Sweet Potato Pie.(^31) / (^3) cups whole milk
2 cups heavy cream
1 cup granulated sugar
6 cups all-natural soft black licorice
chunks (such as Panda), chopped
14 large egg yolks
(^1) / (^4) tsp. kosher salt
- Stir together milk, heavy cream, and
sugar in a medium saucepan. Cook over
medium, whisking often, until just sim-
mering, 15 to 17 minutes. Remove pan
from heat; stir in licorice. Let steep 20
minutes. Pour licorice mixture through a
fine wire-mesh strainer into a medium
bowl; discard solids. Whisk together egg
yolks in a large bowl. Whisking constantly,
gradually pour milk mixture into yolks in a
slow, steady stream. Stir in salt; return to
saucepan. Cook over low, whisking often,
until mixture is slightly thickened and
coats back of a spoon, about 9 minutes.
Let cool 15 minutes. Pour mixture through
a fine wire-mesh strainer into a bowl;
cover and refrigerate until completely
chilled, at least 8 hours or overnight. - Pour licorice mixture into bowl of an ice
cream maker, and proceed according to
manufacturer’s instructions. Transfer to a
freezer-safe container, and freeze until
firm, about 5 hours.
MAKE AHEAD Ice cream can be prepared
and frozen up to 2 weeks in advance.