Della Robbia Pound Cake
Submitted by jedavis
A buttery ginger pound cake baked in a ring mold, splashed with rum, and crowned with a garland of poached pears, candied orange peel, and grapes glazed in apple jelly. A showpiece holiday dessert.
YIELD
8 servingsPREP
30 minCOOK
75 minREADY
3 hrsNamed after the famous Italian Renaissance sculptor known for his fruit-wreathed ceramics, this pound cake is as much a centerpiece as it is a dessert.
The cake itself is a buttery, vanilla-scented beauty with a hint of fresh ginger that gives it an unexpected warmth. A splash of rum after baking adds depth without overpowering.
But the real spectacle is the fruit garland. Pear halves and wedges get poached in cranberry juice and port until they blush a gorgeous rose color. Candied orange peel strips add bright citrus notes, and clusters of grapes tuck in between the pear slices. A final brush of melted apple jelly makes everything glisten.
Chef Tips
- Use firm Anjou pears so they hold their shape through poaching. Ripe pears will turn to mush
- Let the rose-colored pear halves soak for the full hour so the color develops deep and even
- Reduce the sugar syrup to a heavy consistency before candying the orange peel. This ensures the strips turn translucent and tender
- Brush the apple jelly glaze while warm. It sets quickly, so work in sections around the ring
Ingredients
Directions
Heat oven to 325℉ (160℃). Grease and flour a 10 inch ring mold or tube pan.
Cake: In large bowl, with electric mixer at medium speed, beat butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.
Beat in vanilla and gingerroot until well blended.
In small bowl, combine flour, baking powder, and salt.
With mixer at low speed, beat flour mixture into butter mixture just until combined.
Spread batter evenly in prepared pan and bake 30 to 35 minutes or until cake tester inserted in center comes out clean.
Cool cake in pan on wire rack 10 minutes; invert the pan onto wire rack and unmold the cake.
Sprinkle rum over cake, if desired, and cool completely.
Prepare Fruit Garland: In 3-quart saucepan, combine cranberry juice, ½ cup sugar, port, 2 lemon quarters and food coloring, if desired.
Heat to boiling over low heat; simmer, stirring occasionally while you prepare fruit.
Peel one pear and cut in half vertically; remove core from both halves.
Place one pear half in simmering juice mixture.
After 5 minutes cut remaining pear half in wedges about ¼ inch thick and add to juice mixture.
Simmer 2 minutes longer or until wedges are barely tender.
Remove from heat and let pear half and wedges stand in juice mixture 1 hour or until they are rosecolored.
In small saucepan, combine water, remaining ½ cup sugar, and 2 lemon quarters; heat to boiling, stirring occasionally.
Avoiding the core, cut remaining pear, unpeeled, into ¼ inch- thick wedges.
Drop wedges in simmering sugar mixture and cook 2 to 3 minutes or until just tender; remove with slotted spoon to drain on paper towels and set aside.
Heat sugar mixture to boiling over high heat; cook until mixture reduces to a heavy syrup about 12 minutes.
Reduce heat to low and add orange-peel strips; cook until soft -about 5 minutes.
With fork, remove strips to small dish and set aside to cool completely.
To decorate cake, drain rose-colored pear half and wedges slices that are white inside with a thin rose-colored band around edge.
In small bowl in microwave or small saucepan over low heat, melt apple jelly.
Brush top of cake with some jelly; arrange all 3 kinds of pear slices in a leaf-like garland on top of cake.
Brush slices with remaining apple jelly.
Arrange small clusters of grapes among pear slices and scatter candied orange-peel strips over top.
Serve or cover loosely with plastic wrap and refrigerate until serving.
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