Individual Pineapple Upside-Down Cakes

'Curious' is already watching -- that is not good.

Since today is Saturday, the end of the week, I thought we would use our new
Nordic Ware Mini Pineapple pan to create the little cakes that appear so enticing in "Rose's Heavenly Cakes."

I went shopping and instead of a whole Hawaiian Gold pinapple, they also had them peeled with the core still inside, separated. I got two of them, just in case, but froze the second one. They are fresh and delicious. Everything else we already had. I used canned Oregon bing cherries.

First, as always, I did mis en place. I needed to set up three so it was best to get them all lined up. Even taking these precautions, for example, at the last minute l almost missed setting up the sheet pan and spraying the aluminum foil onto which I would need to release the cakelets from the mould, in a hurry.

After setting up, the mould was sprayed and brushed in the crevices; ready. I had to fiddle a bit to trim the pineapple slices to fit, but then they were fine. They drained on towels. This was set aside. This is where I made a big error, a senior moment, one might say. I put the pineapple and cherries in and set it aside. This meant I had forgotten that the caramel was meant to be placed into the bottom of the mould cavities - first.



The carmelizing began. I really never enjoy this, even with my old copper sugar pan. Constantly turning it, tilting it, and inserting/reinserting the Thermapen is a hot task, and I am impatient, but watchful lest it jumps up too quickly.

The Thermapen, I must say, was a good investment because my preceding thermometers really were inferior to me. At any rate, I took the caramel off about 290F, nice and dark amber; early as Rose suggests because of the Turbinado sugar. I didn't use the Pyrex measuring cup. I had intended to, even had oiled it, but since the copper pot has a little spout on it's side, I just decided it would give me temperature/pouring leverage such that I would be just as quick getting it from stove >to mould as I would getting it from stove > cup > mould. It worked; I didn't have a problem with the caramel thickening and needing softening before/while pouring although I didn't get it exactly evenly distributed. And there it went, right on top of the pineapple and cherries. And I still oblivious to any mishap or the reasons/consequences.


The batter was not difficult. I chose to use cake flour in the dry ingredients,

and the recipe's yogurt and egg for the moistening.




YOGURT>YUM!
YOGURT>YUM!


I used an ice-cream scoop to place batter in the mould's cavities.


The little cakes baked quickly and were ready and browning on top about 20-25 minutes. After removing, I slipped the tiny spatula around inside the cups. It really would have been better piped in, and I didn't spread it with the tip of tiny spatula. That would have helped get better top leaves.

Also, next time, I will ask my husband, or Spirit, to help me flip that sheet pan with the mould under it! I managed to turn it over and then stood there with that object held out in the air, breaking my arms. I was terrified that the little cakes were going to remain in the heavy mould. Finally I just sat it on the counter.


I peeked under the mould:
There they were, all lined up like perfectly beautiful little soldiers. I was surprised to see that, for the most part, the little cake crust had formed into pineapple leaves at the top. I think they are, indeed, worthy of Daguin and Lutece, lol. Of course, that will be in the tasting.

Wistful Echo is just anticipating a treat.

It is very late and I am having problems with the blog - so I naturally sneaked out and ate one [just one] cake. It was SO good, even without accoutrements! We said goodnight.

And then it struck me - while thinking over what I had written here, and I suddenly said to myself:

"What?" -- "I didn't" -- "Oh yes, I did" - and I laughed and laughed. Yet, they had turned out so well - Well, next time, I promise to place the caramel in the cavities FIRST, as the recipe suggests. So much for my mis en place. I guess that needs a double check en place!

Today, I made apricot 'glisten' and served the cakelets to rave reviews! Next time we will make a double recipe, for sure. The boys had some tiny cake pieces. They, too, were happy.
OUR TEA PARTY