2000s Recipes + Menus

Pear Maple Johnnycake

Serves8
  • Active Time:15 min
  • Start to Finish:1 1/4 hr (includes cooling)
February 2008
Looking for a fast weeknight dessert? Johnnycake—essentially a cross between a pancake and corn bread—isn't fancy, but it's delicious.
  • 1 stick unsalted butter
  • 2 tablespoons sugar
  • 4 firm-ripe Anjou pears, peeled, halved lengthwise, and cored
  • 1/2 teaspoon grated nutmeg, divided
  • 1 cup all-purpose flour
  • 3/4 cup stone-ground cornmeal (preferably white)
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 3/4 cup whole milk
  • 1/4 cup pure maple syrup (preferably dark amber or Grade B)
  • 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
  • Accompaniments:

    pure maple syrup (for drizzling); sour cream
  • Preheat oven to 400°F with rack in middle.
  • Melt butter in a 12-inch nonstick skillet. Brush a 9-inch cake pan (2 inches deep) with 1 tablespoon melted butter and reserve 6 tablespoons in a small bowl. Sprinkle sugar evenly over butter remaining in skillet. Arrange pears, cut sides up, in skillet and sprinkle with 1/8 teaspoon nutmeg. Cook over medium heat 5 minutes, then turn pears over and sprinkle with 1/8 teaspoon nutmeg. Cook until liquid pears give off has evaporated and cut sides are lightly browned, 8 to 10 minutes more.
  • Transfer pears, cut side down, to cake pan.
  • Whisk together flour, cornmeal, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and remaining 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg in a bowl. Whisk in milk, syrup, eggs, and reserved butter just until smooth. Pour over pears and bake until golden and a wooden pick inserted in center of cake comes out clean, 25 to 30 minutes. Cool in pan on a rack 15 minutes, then run a knife around edge of cake to loosen and invert onto a platter.
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