From Denny: For pear lovers - and lovers - this is an outstanding dessert good enough for any holiday!
Like any upside down cake this one is practically beginner cook and foolproof. The custard requires a more experienced cook and a little time but is well worth the effort.
The cake is a simple one using all-purpose flour, unsalted butter, tangerine zest, a few tablespoons of milk and heavy cream, a couple of eggs, cognac and pecans. Cream, cognac and pecans (all fav ingredients of mine) all play off each other for a wonderful flavor combination.
This tangy tangerine sauce is an unusual and clever pairing with the pears and hearty cake. The sauce combines half and half cream, tangerine juice, tangerine zest, vanilla extract and sugar along with the egg yolks to make it rich and memorable.
Sold? Yeah, me too! If you can't find tangerines, try substituting oranges.
Tip: In fact, every time I enjoy a fresh orange I go ahead and take the time to zest it, placing the zest in the freezer like a treasure mounting up over time. Then, when I need some orange zest for any recipe I'm ready to go.
