Recipes

¼ cup dark honey

3 large Bosc pears, peeled, cored, and quartered lengthwise

1 cup sugar

Zest of 1 lemon, finely grated

2 large eggs

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

1 cup all-purpose flour

¼ teaspoon salt

½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted and cooled, plus 1 tablespoon

¼ cup sliced almonds

3 sprigs fresh thyme (optional)

Preheat oven to 350°. In a 9-inch ovenproof skillet (not nonstick), simmer honey until it begins to reduce, caramelize, and darken in color, 6 to 10 minutes, careful to avoid burning.

Arrange pears, close together and cut-side down, in a circular pattern in skillet, stem ends pointing toward center. Simmer over medium heat, turning them from one cut side to the other, until they begin to turn golden, about 10 minutes.

Flip pears over to their curved side and scatter with thyme sprigs if desired. Transfer skillet to oven and roast, uncovered, until very tender, about 25 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a large bowl, combine sugar and lemon zest, then whisk in eggs and vanilla. Fold in flour and salt and stir in ½ cup butter.

When pears are soft, remove skillet from oven, discard thyme sprigs, and brush edges of pears with remaining 1 tablespoon melted butter. Pour batter on roasted pears and scatter almonds over batter. Bake until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, 25 to 35 minutes. Let cake cool for 30 minutes in pan. Run an offset spatula along edges of pan to loosen cake; carefully invert cake onto a serving platter. Serve warm or cooled.