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Anyone try the gingerbread with root beer poached pears, #102?

Anyone try the gingerbread with root beer poached pears, #102? (post #68597)

Sheri on Sat, 12/26/2009 - 09:55

Feedback on Fine Cooking

We had it last night for dessert - really terrific. Except the recipe calls for an 8" pan. I poured the batter into the pan and thought, wow - that seems really full. But I was in a hurry and against my better judgement didn't use a bigger pan.

Needless to say, I had gingerbread overflowing all over my oven. Seems like a pretty huge mistake for Fine Cooking.

I managed to salvage the gingerbread, and it ended up tasting great, but next time, 9" pan for sure.

Sheri
Pork Cracklins

I probably answered my own (post #68597, reply #1 of 9)

by Sheri in reply to Sheri [original] on Sat, 12/26/2009 - 16:53

I probably answered my own question - I finally thought to check for comments on the recipe online, and there are several others. Yes, either the pan size is wrong or the 2 tsp. baking soda is incorrect. Pretty unusual for a Fine Cooking recipe to have a blunder that's that big/obvious.

I've contacted FC to at least correct the online version of the recipe.

Sheri
Pork Cracklins

How were the pears? I (post #68597, reply #2 of 9)

by SuB in reply to Sheri [original] on Sat, 12/26/2009 - 20:59

How were the pears? I haven't read that recipe... root beer? Sounds either terrific or awful, I can't decide which.

Cheers, Sue B.

The older I get, the better I was.

I love poached pears, and (post #68597, reply #4 of 9)

by Sheri in reply to SuB [original] on Sun, 12/27/2009 - 21:06

I love poached pears, and these were good - the root beer made an exceptional sauce that elicited oohs and aaahs. I used Virgil's root beer.

Sheri
Pork Cracklins

I must try this. I adore (post #68597, reply #5 of 9)

by SuB in reply to Sheri [original] on Mon, 12/28/2009 - 00:41

I must try this. I adore pears in any form, and I like root beer though I keep this a secret.

Cheers, Sue B.

The older I get, the better I was.

I've come across the odd (post #68597, reply #3 of 9)

by wonka in reply to Sheri [original] on Sat, 12/26/2009 - 22:40

I've come across the odd recipe that had errors in it on line. Taunton is pretty happy to have them pointed out, so that they can fix them. Thanks for doing that, so anyone else wanting to make the cake will not have the same difficulties as you did.

Hi Sheri, I'm glad you (post #68597, reply #6 of 9)

sbreckenridge in reply to Sheri [original] on Mon, 12/28/2009 - 10:38

Hi Sheri,
I'm glad you commented on this, because we got some similar complaints through twitter, and of course, in the recipe review itself. We tested the recipe multiple times, with different brands of root beer, and never had this problem; however, after we got the comments we tested it again with a fourth brand of root beer (A&W), and the cake still came out fine. We're still trying to get to the bottom of what's causing this, but your comment about the pan being really full is helpful--can you tell me how deep the pan was?

thanks,
Sarah
Fine Cooking Web Producer

Thank you for your follow-up (post #68597, reply #7 of 9)

by Sheri in reply to

sbreckenridge [original] on Mon, 12/28/2009 - 13:01

Thank you for your follow-up (via CooksTalk, Twitter, AND email!). And for updating the recipe. I'll definitely be making it again.

Sheri
Pork Cracklins

I wondered about pan size as (post #68597, reply #8 of 9)

by Glenys in reply to

sbreckenridge [original] on Mon, 12/28/2009 - 15:11

I wondered about pan size as well. My 8" rounds are deeper, at least 6cm, whether they're French or American but what they're not is a layer cake pan, which could be the culprit.

Yes, they used deep 8" pans (post #68597, reply #9 of 9)

by Sheri in reply to Glenys [original] on Mon, 12/28/2009 - 21:12

Yes, they used deep 8" pans that were 10 cups in volume. All three testers! I used a pyrex dish that's 8 cups in volume.

Sheri
Pork Cracklins

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Anyone try the gingerbread with root beer poached pears, #102?