GRANDMA's PEAR KUCHEN

THE PEAR KUCHEN...

this was so fun to make because it was a recipe written in my grandma Leda's handwriting. she passed away a few years ago at almost 108, but i swear she's still with me all the time. i even felt like calling her as i was making this. she was THE grandma of all grandmas. i hope you all had one as special as her.

she actually wrote the recipe using plums, specifically canned purple plums, but i chose to make it with canned pears. canned plums aren't in every store and i've never tried them so i went the safe route...pears. AND i think the size and color lent itself to the texture and visual of the kuchen.

the crust is really the star of the show. it's almost cookie-like. thick and crunchy but soft where needed. i mean it's just pure dense YUM!. so on with the recipe...

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HEAVENLY PLUM KUCHEN (Al's favorite)

copied as written by Grandma Leda

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cream 1/2 c. butter

1 c. sugar

add- 1 1/4 c. sifted flour

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1/4 tsp baking powder

blend and leave out 1/3 c.

press evenly into 8x8x2 pan (i used a 9 in. springform)

place 1 can purple plums-cut in half on crust ( i used pear halves)

sprinkle with 1/3 cup dough mix

bake at 375 for 15 min.

beat 1 egg slightly

stir in 1.c whipping cream to make custard

pour over plums and continue to bake untill top is golden and set... 25-30 min.

i hope this recipe makes sense. i kind of had to decypher it myself, but i gotta tell ya....this kuchen is soooo worth it...and pretty easy. so to all those grandmas out there everywhere, thank you for all your handed down recipes...i can't wait to dig into another one of her treats.