Chai Spiced Pear Galette Recipes

SPICED PEAR UPSIDE-DOWN CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter a 10"-diameter cake pan and line bottom with a parchment paper round; flour sides of pan. Cook orange juice, 1/4 cup pomegranate molasses, 1/4 cup sugar, and remaining 2 tablespoons butter in a medium skillet over medium heat, stirring, until sugar is dissolved and mixture is slightly reduced, about 4 minutes. Add pears, cut side up, and cook (undisturbed) until they begin to release their juices, about 3 minutes. Turn pears over and cook just until slightly softened, about 3 minutes. Let cool slightly, then arrange pears, cut side down, in prepared pan.
• Return skillet to medium heat and cook liquid in skillet until thickened and syrupy, about 5 minutes, depending on juiciness of pears. Pour syrup over pears and freeze while you prepare the batter (this is to allow syrup to set up-don't let it freeze solid).
• Pulse walnuts and remaining 1 1/2 cups flour in food processor until walnuts are finely ground. Pulse in baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cardamom.
• Using an electric mixer on medium speed, beat eggs, orange zest, and remaining 1 1/2 cups sugar in a medium bowl until pale and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Fold in dry ingredients in 2 additions, fully incorporating before adding the next addition, then gradually mix in oil. Pour batter over pears and smooth top.
• Set pan on a foil-lined rimmed baking sheet and bake cake until top is golden brown and a tester inserted in the center comes out clean, 50-60 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack and let cool in pan, 15-20 minutes. Run knife around edges of cake to loosen and invert onto rack. Remove parchment and let cake cool completely.
• Drizzle cake with more pomegranate molasses just before serving.
• Do Ahead
• Cake can be baked 1 day ahead. Store tightly covered at room temperature.

CHAI SPICED PEAR GALETTE

Steps:

• For the pie dough: Combine the flour and salt in a food processor. Add the butter cubes and yogurt and pulse until pea-size bits of butter remain.
• Add the vodka to the food processor and pulse until the dough pulls together. Do not over process.
• Remove the dough from the machine and form into 2 disks. Do not over knead, just barely bring the dough together. Flatten each disk and wrap tightly with plastic to rest and chill in the refrigerator for 1 hour minimum.
• Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F with a rack in the center.
• For the chai spice mix: In a small bowl, combine the cinnamon, cardamon, ginger, nutmeg and cloves. Mix to combine and set aside.
• In a small saucepot, combine the brown sugar, honey, lemon juice, vanilla paste, 1 tablespoon of the chai spice mix and 1/4 cup water and bring to a simmer over medium heat. When the sugar has completely dissolved, turn off the heat. Whisk until thoroughly combined. Set aside.
• When ready to use, pull 1 disk from the refrigerator (save the other disk for another use). Lightly flour the counter. Roll out the pie dough into a 1/4-inch-thick round. (Because the galette is freeform, the dough doesn't have to be exactly round.) Transfer the dough round to a parchment-lined baking sheet.
• Trim the top and bottom of each pear and cut in half lengthwise. Using a spoon or melon scooper, remove the core and seeds. Place the flat side of the pear on the cutting board and slice lengthwise into 1/4-inch-thick slices
• Place the pear slices on top of dough, overlapping slightly. Keep the filling flat and compact, leaving a 3-inch border on all sides so you can fold the edges over the filling.
• Drizzle enough syrup over the pears so they are all coated, but stop if the syrup is leaking out from under the fruit and onto the pastry. Fold the dough over the pears, overlapping where necessary and gently pressing to adhere the folds. Add more syrup to the center if desired.
• Transfer the sheet pan and galette to the refrigerator to chill for 20 minutes. In a small bowl, beat the egg with 1 tablespoon water to make an egg wash.
• Just before the galette is ready to go into the oven, sprinkle the exposed fruit with walnuts. Use a pastry brush to brush the pie dough with egg wash and sprinkle with turbinado sugar.
• Bake the galette on the center rack at 425 degrees F for 10 minutes, then lower the temperature to 350 degrees F and bake until the crust is golden brown and feels firm to the touch, about 20 minutes. Remove to a wire rack to cool completely.
• When completely cool and ready to serve, garnish with a drizzle of honey over the entire galette, crust and all.

TEA POACHED PEAR AND CHEDDAR GALETTE

Steps:

• To poach the pears, bring 4 cups water to a boil in a medium saucepan. Remove from the heat and add the ginger and black tea bags; let steep 10 minutes. Squeeze the bags against the side of the pan, then discard them. Stir in the sugar, honey, peppercorns, ginger and lemon peel and bring to a simmer. Add the pears and additional water to cover the pears, if needed. Simmer, turning the pears occasionally, until just tender all the way through, 20 to 22 minutes. Let cool in the liquid. Halve and core the pears and pat dry. Slice the pears into 1/4-inch slices. (You'll get 6 or 7 slices from each pear.)
• Heat the butter in a medium skillet over medium heat. Add the leeks and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender, about 10 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Set aside to cool.
• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
• Unroll the pie crust on a floured work surface and roll to a 14-inch circle. Center on a parchment-lined baking sheet (it's OK if it overhangs at this point). Spread the leeks on the crust in a 9-inch circle. Sprinkle the cheese over the top. Top with the pears in a spiral. Fold over and pleat the edges of the dough, leaving the center of the galette open. Brush the dough with the beaten egg.
• Bake the galette until the juices are bubbling and the pastry is golden brown and crisp, 40 to 45 minutes. Remove to a baking rack to cool. Serve warm or at room temperature, sprinkled with the chives, if using.