Locke Store Bartlett Pear Upside Down Cake

Meet the talented culinary team at Locke Store in Millwood, VA. Pastry chef, Monica Beaudoin shared her irresistible recipe for homemade bartlett pear upside down cake here with us. Homemade caramel, fresh pears, and plenty of sugar – this cake is sure to be a hit for the holidays.

Maker: Monica Beaudoin Pastry Chef

Monica grew up observing her family’s business, an inn in Connecticut, before deciding to complete her formal training at Johnson & Wales University in Providence, Rhode Island. Since then, she managed various café bakeries in New England before relocating to Winchester, Virginia. Monica joined the Locke Store almost two years ago and has embraced the tradition of Locke Store, while bringing innovative ideas to the table and executing them flawlessly.

Locke Store Culinary Team:

Executive Chef: Brian Volmrich

Brian has had a passion for food since a young age, working his way from bussing and line cooking in high school to pursuing food as career at the Pennsylvania Institute of Culinary Arts where he graduated in 1999 on the President’s List. Thirteen years ago, Brian moved to Virginia to work at The Inn at Little Washington, and later became Chef de Cuisine at L’Auberge Provencale. Brian moved with his wife, Shauna, and two children to his hometown of Pittsburg, where he lent his talents to Braddock’s American Brasserie as Chef de Cuisine for a number of years, before the lure of the Shenandoah Valley brought them back to Virginia to collaborate as partners at Locke Store.

Head Chef: Mindy Biddle

Born in New Jersey, Mindy was inspired by many figures in her life. Her stepmother, Neil, was her mentor, teaching her how to put together delicious meals out of anything. Mindy’s skills are completely self-taught, leading her to constantly learn more by taking careful notice of her fellow chefs’ passion in the kitchen. Her collaborative efforts have proven her belief that food transcends all barriers and speaks a language common to every one of every background. Mindy has shared her love for food and creativity with Locke Store for fourteen years and counting, producing some of their most signature dishes like their Chicken Pot Pie and Roasted Vegetable Savory Tart.

Ingredients

For the Pears

• 1.75 oz unsalted butter

• 4.5 oz sugar

• 3 Bartlett pears, sliced lengthwise

• 1 T honeyFor the cake

For the Cake

• 5.5 oz unsalted butter

• 5.5 oz sugar

• 2 eggs, beaten

• 3.5 oz all-purpose flour

• 1.5 tsp baking powder

• 3.5 oz almond flour

• 1 tsp vanilla extract

• 4 oz whole milk

  Directions

  Preheat the oven to 350°F. Butter 8-9 inch cake tin and prepare pears:

Combine sugar and water into a small saucepan, heating slowly until sugar is dissolved.
When sugar has completely melted, bring to a boil, and watch until syrup starts to turn to caramel (it will turn golden first). Swish the pan a bit. Once it becomes caramel (you will know by the smell and color), take immediately off the heat and add the butter. Stir once the butter has melted. Pour into buttered pans and place pears, close together and cut side down, on top.

To make the cake, cream butter and sugar until pale and fluffy, then add eggs a little at a time, beating well after each addition. Sift together flour and baking powder and stir in almond flour. Add vanilla, then dry ingredients, alternating with milk.
Spoon batter over pears and bake for 50 minutes, until knife inserted into center comes out clean. Run a fine knife between the cake and the tin and invert on to a plate. If some pears have stuck to the tin, carefully replace them on the cake.

Gently heat the honey. Using a pastry brush or spoon, glaze the top of the cake, allowing the honey to run down the sides. Leave to cool completely before slicing.