A stunning autumnal rose and poached pear cake recipe that bridges the seasons perfectly
A rich almond frangipane tart infused with floral rose, tender ruby-poached pears, crushed pistachios, and delicate dried petals
A stunning and delicate bake, this rose and poached pear cake was the masterpiece by Burford Garden Company chefs to coincide with their Rose Weekend event organised in partnership with David Austin Roses.
If you are exploring sophisticated summer recipes to elevate an afternoon tea or garden party, this elegant cake is a standout choice. Tender pears infused with cardamom and cinnamon are enveloped in smooth almond frangipane, encased in a delicate pastry shell, creating pure pleasure through seasonal fruits and floral scents sure to impress even the fussiest foodie.
So you can efficiently strip the zest from your citrus and peel the pears for the poaching liquor, using this KitchenAid Y-peeler from Amazon will make your prep smooth and simple; see how to assemble this glorious bake below.
Rose and poached pear cake recipe
Overview
Serves: 12
Ingredients
(For the rose poached pears)
6 pears
400g caster sugar
200ml Grenadine, or red wine
300ml rose water
6 cardamom pods
4 bay leaves
4 cloves
2 cinnamon sticks
2 strips of peeled orange zest
500ml water
(For the cake)
250g butter, at room temperature
250g caster sugar
4 eggs
250g ground almonds
115g self-raising flour
2 tbsp rose water
Handful of pistachios
Edible dried rose petals, for decoration
Shortcrust pastry (ready-made)
Method
Peel, halve, and core the pears.
Add all the remaining ingredients into a large saucepan and bring the mixture to a boil. Gently add in the pears.
Simmer gently over a medium to high heat, making sure the pears stay in the liquid as it thickens. Once the liquid has thickened and turned into a beautiful dark colour, leave the pears in the mixture to cool.
Preheat your oven to 160°C (fan), Gas Mark 3.
Mix the butter, sugar and ground almonds together until the butter turns pale. Gradually add in the eggs, rose water and flour until everything is fully combined (this is now a ‘frangipane’).
Line your pastry case with the shortcrust pastry, and cut off any extra unnecessary pastry.
Pour the frangipane mixture into the tart case, and flatten out the mixture to the edges using a palette knife or scraper.
Gently place the 12 poached pear quarters on top in a circular star pattern.
Sprinkle over a generous covering of blitzed pistachios on top, and place in the oven to cook (roughly 35 minutes). The top of the tart should be golden brown...
Glaze with a rose water sugar syrup (dilute rose water and caster sugar together over a medium heat), then sprinkle with extra blitzed pistachios, rose petals and serve immediately.
Image and recipe sourced from Burford Garden Company
Useful things you may need for your bake
The kit to hand makes for a straightforward construction of this intricate frangipane tart. The fluted loose-bottomed tart case will result in a crispy pastry base that un-moulds with ease, and an angled palette knife can be used to spread the frangipane right to the edges of the case. To finish, keeping a jar of food-grade edible dried rose petals in your pantry gives you that signature botanical flourish right before serving.
If you are hosting a garden party, thoughtful table touches elevate every slice. Pairing your summer table decor with these floral cloth napkins from Amazon feels delightfully on-theme for the recipe, further celebrating the botanical hero ingredient with a charming, vintage-inspired motif.
Whether you’re enjoying a quiet afternoon in the garden or hosting a weekend gathering, this recipe is all about bringing artisanal charm to your home baking. If you’re looking for another sweet option to try, our indulgent pistachio tiramisu recipe or our vibrant raspberry pavlova provides more delicious ways to celebrate the season.
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