Pineapple has a balance of sugar and acid that I really like. I wanted to capture that sweet-tart flavor in an upside-down cake, but in a refined one. So I’ve made a batter with cornmeal that gives the cake a great foundation and a terrific crumb.

　　

Ingredients

serves 4 on it¿s own or 10 as part of fourplay

　　

For the Pineapple

1/2 cup (100g) sugar

　　Coarse salt

　　1/2 ripe pineapple

　　

For the Cake

4 tablespoons (57g) unsalted butter, softened

　　7 tablespoons (85g) sugar

　　1 large egg

　　2 large egg yolks

　　1/3 cup (42g) all-purpose flour

　　1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons (45g) yellow cornmeal

　　1/4 teaspoon (1g) baking powder

　　1/4 teaspoon (1g) coarse salt

　　

To Serve

Candied ginger (optional)

　　Pineapple-Spice Sauce (page 271)

　　

For the Pineapple

Step 1

Wrap four 3 1/4-inch or ten 2 1/4-inch tart rings with aluminum foil to cover the bottoms, bringing the foil up around the outside of each ring, and place the rings on a baking sheet.

　　

Step 2

Put the sugar in a heavy skillet. Sprinkle with a tablespoon or two of cool water and a pinch of salt. Turn the heat to high. Leave the pan alone until the sugar starts to color, then pick up the pan and roll the sugar in it so it colors evenly. Cook until the caramel is dark amber. Immediately pour into the tart rings, carefully tilting them (hold on to the outer foil layer) to make an even layer on the bottom.

　　

Step 3

Cut the top and bottom off the pineapple. Cut off the peel and the eyes. Slice into vertical quarters and cut out the core. Cut one of the quarters into 1/2-inch-wide slices, then into pieces that will fit into the tart rings. Use one piece of pineapple for each of the smaller rings and two for the larger.

　　

For the Cake

Step 4

Heat the oven to 375°F or 350°F on convection.

　　

Step 5

Cut the butter into a few pieces and put it with the sugar into the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with the paddle. Beat at medium-high speed until light and fluffy. Beat in the egg and then the yolks, one at a time, scraping the bowl often.

　　

Step 6

Whisk the flour, cornmeal, baking powder, and salt together. Add to the wet ingredients and mix at low speed until you have a smooth batter, scraping the bowl as needed.

　　

Step 7

Fill a pastry bag with the batter and pipe over the pineapple, filling the rings three-quarters full. If you are making the larger tarts, pipe in some batter, add another layer of pineapple, then finish filling with batter. Bake until a tester comes out clean, about 8 minutes for the small cakes and 10 for the large, rotating the pan halfway through baking. Let cool briefly.

　　

Step 8

Run a knife around the cakes, then turn them over and peel off the aluminum and take off the rings.

　　

To Serve

Step 9

Put a cake upside down on a dessert plate and garnish with some candied ginger, if desired, and sauce. Repeat for each serving.

　　Reprinted with permission from Dessert Fourplay: Sweet Quartets from a Four-Star Pastry Chef by Johnny Iuzzini and Roy Finamore. Copyright © 2008 by Johnny Iuzzini and Roy Finamore. Published by Crown Publishing. All Rights Reserved.Johnny Iuzzini,, executive pastry chef of the world-renowned Jean Georges restaurant in New York City, won the award for Outstanding Pastry Chef from the James Beard Foundation in 2006. This is his first book.Roy Finamore, a publishing veteran of more than thirty years, has worked with many bestselling cookbook authors. He is the author of three books: One Potato, Two Potato; Tasty, which won a James Beard Foundation award; and Fish Without a Doubt.__