Maple Upside-Down Pie with Pears

Ingredients:

• 110 g + 2 tbsp unsalted butter, room temperature + extra for greasing the pan
• 3 firm Bere-Bosc pears (about 700 g), peeled and cut each into 8 wedges
• 1 tbsp + 1 tsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 1 and 1/4 cups granulated sugar
• 2 tablespoons of water
• 2 and 1/4 cups premium flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 3/4 tsp baking soda
• 0.5 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp ground cardamom
• 0.5 cups whole milk
• 1/4 cup sour cream
• 1 teaspoon maple extract
• 0.5 tbsp. maple sugar
• 2 large eggs at room temperature

Preparation:

1. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Butter the bottom and inside of a 9-inch (22-cm) pie plate. In a large bowl, toss the pear slices with 1 tablespoon of lemon juice and set aside. In a medium skillet, combine 3/4 cup of granulated sugar, water, and the remaining 1 teaspoon of lemon juice and bring to a simmer over medium heat, stirring occasionally. Simmer, without stirring, until amber-colored, 6-7 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in 2 tablespoons of butter. Pour the caramel into the prepared pan, tilting it to coat the bottom evenly. Let cool, then arrange the pear slices in a circle.
2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cardamom. In a large liquid measuring cup, combine the milk, sour cream, and maple extract. In a large bowl, beat the remaining 110g butter with 1/2 cup granulated sugar and the maple sugar with a mixer on medium-high speed, scraping down the sides of the bowl occasionally, until light and fluffy, 3-5 minutes. Beat in the eggs one at a time until fully incorporated.
3. Reduce mixer speed to medium and beat until thickened, about 1 minute. Reduce mixer speed to low and add the flour mixture in three additions, alternating with the milk mixture (beginning and ending with the flour). The dough may look slightly curdled; continue beating until it becomes smooth.
4. Pour the batter into the pan over the pears and smooth the surface. Bake until the top is golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, 55-65 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack and let cool in the pan for 20 minutes. Run a thin knife around the edge of the cake to loosen it from the pan, then invert it onto a serving platter and let cool completely.