Dessert: Christmas Cranberry, Pear and Walnut Torte with Cream Cheese-Orange Frosting

Eggs provide the leavening in this spiced cake, and melted butter keeps it tender.

This recipe includes fertility superfoods such as:

Cinnamon, Cranberries, Nuts, Walnuts

Health and fertility benefits of Christmas Cranberry, Pear and Walnut Torte with Cream Cheese-Orange Frosting

Cinnamon is one of the best ingredients that someone with insulin sensitivity can eat. Half a teaspoon of cinnamon per day has been shown to be very effective at normalizing blood sugar levels. Cinnamon contains hydroxychalcone, which is thought to enhance the effects of insulin. It has also been suggested that Cinnamon prevents post-meal blood sugar spikes by slowing the gastric emptying rate - meaning that food digests slowly. (Reference: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11506060). Researchers believe that cranberries contain substances that prevent infection-causing bacteria from sticking to the urinary tract walls. However, store-bought cranberry juice is typically all sugar - so make sure to stick with straight cranberries. Nuts are a natural source of Inositol, a derivative of Vitamin B (which is often prescribed in the form of supplements for women with PCOS). Inositol can effectively control the symptoms of PCOS by reducing insulin resistance and improving insulin sensitivity. Walnuts are low on the glycemic index. What’s more, they also lower the glycemic index of other foods that you eat in conjunction with these nuts. Any kind of nuts provide a healthy source of fat and a great way to encourage PCOS weight loss.

Ingredients

2 3/4 cups chopped toasted walnuts
1 cup all purpose flour
1/2 cup plain dry breadcrumbs
2 teaspoons grated orange peel
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon salt
6 large eggs
1 1/2 cups sugar
1/2 cup (packed) golden brown sugar
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, melted, lukewarm
1/2 cup fresh or frozen cranberries
Cream Cheese-Orange Frosting
Poached Pears with Cranberry Puree

Instructions

Position rack in center of oven; preheat to 375 °F. Butter two 9-inch-diameter cake pans. Line bottom of pans with waxed paper. Butter and flour waxed paper; tap out excess flour.
Blend 2 cups walnuts and flour in processor until walnuts are finely ground. Add breadcrumbs, orange peel, spices and salt. Using on/off turns, process just until blended.
Using electric mixer, beat eggs in large bowl until frothy. Gradually beat in 1 cup sugar and brown sugar. Continue beating until mixture is thick and triples in volume, about 6 minutes.
Fold flour mixture and melted lukewarm butter alternately into egg mixture, beginning and ending with flour mixture (do not overmix or batter will deflate). Divide batter between prepared cake pans; smooth tops. Bake cakes until golden and tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 25 minutes. Transfer pans to racks; cool 5 minutes. Invert cakes onto racks; cool completely. Remove waxed paper.
Toss cranberries with remaining 1/2 cup sugar in small bowl to coat. Transfer berries to plate. Cover and freeze. (Can be prepared ahead. Wrap each cake layer separately in plastic. Freeze cake layers and sugarcoated cranberries up to 1 week.)
Place 1 cake layer on platter. Spread with 1 cup frosting. Top with second cake layer. Spread remaining frosting over top and sides of torte. Press remaining 3/4 cup walnuts onto torte sides. Arrange poached pears in concentric circles atop torte. (Torte can be frosted 1 day ahead. Cover torte; chill. Let torte stand 30 minutes at room temperature before serving.)
Rewarm cranberry puree in small saucepan over medium heat. Brush some puree over pears. Transfer remaining puree to bowl.
Garnish torte with frozen sugarcoated cranberries. Serve torte with puree.

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