Classic Christmas Cookies

For me, the holidays aren't the same without them. Also a recipe for a seasonal cake- and an essential pan.

Christmas in a Bite
At Christmastime my German father always came home with boxes of lebkuchen: spicy, chewy, gingery cookies laced with marzipan and orange peel. I adored them, but as New York’s German population became assimilated, the Bavarian bakery he favored closed. We grumpily settled for the commercial kind, which proved a very poor substitute.

Then Sandy Lee returned from a stint in Germany and opened Leckerlee, a seasonal bakery whose main reason for being is lebkuchen. These fabulous confections rely on the classic Nuremberg recipe, which features a nine-spice blend and a dough heavy on almonds and hazelnuts. They’re everything lebkuchen should be—including a wonderful way to bring the true taste of Christmas back to the table.

The company creates new tins each year, and I find this year’s particularly appealing.

This recipe, part sticky toffee pudding, part upside down cake, reminds me a bit of lebkuchen. It’s a glorious English confection that comes together easily, requires no exotic ingredients- and is a guaranteed crowd pleaser. Best of all, it fills your house with the warm mingled aroma of ginger, nutmeg, clove and cinnamon.

If you're looking for the perfect dessert to take to a Christmas feast this is easy to transport and keeps very well.

Should you want to make it into a more impressive present, throw in a 10 inch pre-seasoned cast iron skillet. You can find them at most stores - or go right to the source, the Lodge Company. I consider this particular skillet an essential - and economical - kitchen tool.

Sticky Upside-Down Pear and Gingerbread Cake
Preheat the oven to 350.

Butter a 9 1/2 or 10 inch cake tin, then line the bottom with parchment paper. (Alternatively, use a 10 inch cast iron skillet; if it’s well-seasoned you won’t need the parchment paper.)

Melt 2/3 of a stick of butter with 3/4 cup of brown sugar in a small pot until it turns into a creamy, caramel-colored glop. Pour it into the cake tin and tip it until the syrup evenly covers the bottom of the pan.

Peel 4 fat Bosc pears and cut off the tip and bottom end. (Do not core them; they'll look so much better left to their own devices). Cut each pear in half and lay it in the pan, cut side down, with its tip pointing into the center of the pan. Set aside while you mix the gingerbread.

Put 1 1/2 cups all purpose flour into a small bowl. Whisk in 3/4 teaspoon of baking soda, 1/4 teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon, and a teaspoon of ground ginger. Grate in a bit of nutmeg. Add a pinch of ground clove.

In another bowl beat 2 eggs. Stir in a cup of brown sugar, 1/2 cup molasses, 2/3 cups milk and a stick of melted butter. Grate in a small knob of fresh ginger.

Add the flour mixture to the egg mixture and mix until it comes together into a smooth batter. Pour over the pears, smooth the top and bake for about an hour, until a toothpick comes out fairly clean. (Timing will depend on the size of your pan.)

Set on a wire rack to cool for a few minutes, then run a knife around the edge.

Find a large plate or cake platter. Place a sturdy oven mitt on each hand. Set the plate on top of the cake, then turn the whole thing upside down as quickly as possible. The cake should slide easily out of the pan, leaving the pears smiling up at you.

Serve warm or at room temperature with vanilla ice cream.