PO Box 353, Santa Barbara, CA 93116, EudaemoniusMarkII@Gmail.com
1/3 Cup Butter
1 Cup Brown Sugar, packed
1 Cup Walnuts, whole
2 Cake Mixes (plus what it says it needs on the box)
3 Teaspoons Pumpkin Spice Mix, ground
2 Large Pears, ripe
2 Large Plums, ripe
Cooking spray or pan grease
Fresh Garden Fruit Tree Leaves, cleaned
Now, before we begin, of course you can use your favorite bottom-up regular old cake recipe your grandma left you in her will, or Martha’s or Ina’s or whoever’s you like. I used a cake mix because I was taste testing the Krusty’s brand mix, and it worked really well. Also, I used an 8” round cake form and a 10” cake form, but you can use whatever you prefer.
Start by cutting parchment rounds for both pans. Put a bit of oil or a spritz of cooking spray in each pan, and then drop in a parchment round in each. Spray or grease the sides of the pans. Sprinkle a bit of the cake mix into each pan, and roll it around to coat the greased sides, dumping the excess into a mixing bowl. Add the rest of the cake mix to the mixing bowl.
In a small sauce pan, melt butter and brown sugar. Bring to a boil and stir over medium heat until the sugar is dissolved. Remove from the heat and add the walnuts stirring quickly. Divide the mixture between the two pans and spread evenly.
Prepare pears by washing, then peeling, halving, coring and slicing into 1/4" long pieces. Arrange pears in the larger pan, if using offset sizes, into a circular pattern. Try to be sure pears are evenly spaced and all facing the same direction. Repeat the process with the plums in second pan.
In your mixing bowl, prepare cake mixes as directed adding the pumpkin spice mix. Divide the cake mix between the pans working to make both cakes the same depth. Smooth out mix as evenly as possible then lift and drop the pans several times to release any air bubbles. Bake cakes for 30-50 minutes, depending on lots of factors. After the first 15 mins, gently rotate the cakes or trade shelves. Check for doneness with tooth pick in the center of the cake. It should be slightly firm, and the pick should come out clean. If it wiggles when you open the oven, no need to check, just let it cook, and check again in 10 minutes. Mine took 50 minutes. The variance can be because of oven temperatures, elevation and ripeness of fruit.
When cakes are done, allow to cool and run a knife about the pan to be sure it is loose. On cake pedestal or plate, invert the larger pear cake. Center it well, then carefully remove the pan, then the parchment. Repeat for second cake. Fruit, nuts and sugar should have made a beautiful design. This is quite sweet so there is no need to ice or frost the cake. Decorate as you like with colored fruit tree leaves or others of your choice. Serves 8-12.
Add
bacon pieces to a frying pan and fry until golden brown and crispy. Remove from pan and allow draining on
paper. Chop chocolate into pieces and
add to a small sauce pan. Add vanilla,
corn syrup and cream. Over low heat and
continuing to stir bring up to simmer and turn off the heat. When all the chocolate and sugar has dissolved,
add the butter and continue to mix.
Place off the heat and allow cooling to room temperature.
In
a bowl, whisk eggs well then sift flour, baking powder and cornstarch into the
bowl. Add the water then whisk well until
well combined. Set aside and allow batter to rest for 10 minutes.
Heat
Takoyaki pan over medium heat till quite hot.
Spray with cooking spray or brush with bacon fat. Fill each hole with batter then drop in a
bacon chunk into each one. Allow to cook
just long enough that pancake ball can be turned one quarter of a turn. Continue around the pan turning each one as
possible and eventually until each is a sphere.
As you near the final turn, tuck all the extra batter into each
one. There should be no frilly edges or
excess left in the pan. When gold brown,
remove each from the pan and place on a warm dish.
Place
desired amount of chocolate sauce on your Bakoyaki and sprinkle with some
almonds. Best served right away! Makes about 16 Bakoyakis.
