Spiced Danjou Pear Bread Recipes

Steps:

• In a large bowl, combine the first seven ingredients. In a small bowl, whisk the eggs, pears, applesauce and oil. Stir into dry ingredients just until moistened., Pour into four 5-3/4x3x2-in. loaf pans coated with cooking spray. Bake at 350° for 50-60 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350F (I baked at 325F convection).
• Generously grease two large (9X5-inch) loaf pans--the long pieces of pear make the loaves more susceptible to sticking in the pans and falling apart, so make sure you grease generously. (I lined the bottom and sides with a long piece of greased waxed paper, leaving enough extra at the sides to lift the loaf out of the pan.).
• In a large bowl, combine brown sugar, vegetable oil, molasses, and eggs; mix in salt, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, and allspice.
• Stir the pear slices in, coating them evenly; stir in the flour.
• Pour batter into prepared loaf pans.
• Bake for 50-65 minutes (I baked mine right around 60 minutes).
• Allow loaves to cool in pan about ten minutes before removing them and placing them on a wire rack to cool.
• Note: I halved the recipe, making one loaf, and used 1 whole egg and 1 egg white.

Steps:

• The night before, make the French toast: smear the butter over the bottom and sides of a 13 by 9 by 2-inch baking dish or other shallow 2-quart baking dish. Tear the bread into small pieces and scatter in the dish.
• In a large measuring cup or small bowl, whisk the eggs and sugar until light. Add the milk and vanilla and whisk well. Pour over the bread evenly. Tamp down the bread with a spoon or spatula to submerge each piece in egg mixture. Cover with foil, gently pressing down so the foil is right on the surface of the mixture. Refrigerate overnight.
• The next morning, remove the dish and slide it into a cold oven with the foil on. Turn oven on to 350 degrees F. After 25 minutes, gently pull off and discard the foil. Continue to bake until pudding is puffed and golden brown, about 20 more minutes.
• In the meantime, prepare the spiced pears: melt butter in a wide frying pan (preferably nonstick) over medium-high heat then add the pears. Stir until pears are coated well with butter, then sprinkle sugar, cinnamon, and a good pinch of fresh nutmeg; continue to cook about 3 minutes until pears begin to soften. Pour in 1/4 cup of maple syrup; cook until bubbly then remove from heat.
• To serve, spoon bread pudding onto plates and top with spiced pears. Pass additional maple syrup at the table.

Steps:

• In a bowl, combine the eggs, sugar, oil and vanilla; mix well. Combine flour, baking powder, cinnamon, baking soda and salt; stir into the egg mixture just until moistened. Toss pears with lemon juice. Stir pears and walnuts into batter (batter will be thick). , Spoon into 2 greased 9x5-in. loaf pans. Bake at 350° for 55-60 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks.