Each Friday, InterWined.com pairs one great wine with one great meal and publishes the results along with the recipe in a little feature it likes to call ‘Blow the Bank’.

This week, ‘Blow the Bank’ brings you InterWined’s Own Pear Pithivier.

With so much religious observation last week, InterWined thought it was time for a little secular celebration and decided on the seemingly areligious little French pithivier. At least, that was the intention, until InterWined remembered its other name — la Galette des Roisor cake of the kings.

In other words, the exotic — indeed urbane and cosmopolitan sounding — pithivier is in fact good old, provincial, Catholic king cake made to commemorate three kings’ day and the epiphany.

And, while it might not look like the multi-coloured king cake of New Orleans’ Mardi Gras fame, the two are essentially one and the same. Almond cakes.

But, religous or not, the good news is InterWined’s Own Pear Pithivier is a great way to end the week, especially one marked by rain, cloud, wine, snow, hail, and a hint of sunshine. Who says it only rains in England?

Matching the weather and the pithivier is the 2005 Maculan Torcolato, made from 85% Vespaiola, 10% Garganega, and 5% Tocai, (13.5%), £16.99 from Oddbins. A mix of honey, fruit, sugar, acid and wood (thanks to French oak barrel aging), the wine is one of the prides of the Maculan winery, having won numerous awards since the 1970s. Like the best dessert wines, the Toroclato avoids any cloying or sickly sweetness. Exhibiting an excellent balance it’s simple, clean, and unassuming.

According to the Oddbins Web site, the Maculan Toroclato is perfect with almonds — and InterWined agrees. So, sit back and enjoy a glass of a great Italian dessert wine with a pear and almond pudding fit for a king.

InterWined’s Own Recipe in Full

Pear Pithivier

Ingredients:

3 Confectioner pears, peeled, pitted and quartered
1 sheet of puff pastry or homemade equivalent
2 cups of blanched, toasted almonds
4 tablespoons of sugar
2 tablespoons of cornstarch
100g of butter
2 eggs
1 reserve egg (for eggwash)
Pinch of salt

Preparation:

1. Preheat the oven to 200 °
2. To create the frangipane, place the almonds, sugar, and cornstarch in a food mixer and blend for approximately 5 minutes, until thick
3. Add the butter in chunks and blend again for an additional few minutes
4. Add the two eggs and blend until creamy
5. Layout the puff pastry and cut a circle, approximately the size of a large bowl or pie shell
6. Place the circle on a baking tray, covered with greaseproof paper
7. Spoon the frangipane onto the circle of puff pastry, leaving the outer inch or two clean
8. Layer with pear slices
9. Cover with the remaining puff pastry
10. Trim around the circle, being sure to seal the two layers with fingers or knifetip
11. Mix the reserve egg with the salt and use as an egg wash
12. Place the pithivier in the oven and cook for 20 minute or until golden
13. Serve

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