Measure the walls. Count the ribs. Notch the long days.
Look up for blue sky through the spout. Make small fires
with the broken hulls of fishing boats. Practice smoke signals.
Call old friends, and listen for echoes of distant voices.
Organize your calendar. Dream of the beach. Look each way
for the dim glow of light. Work on your reports. Review
each of your life’s ten million choices. Endure moments
of self-loathing. Find the evidence of those before you.
Destroy it. Try to be very quiet, and listen for the sound
of gears and moving water. Listen for the sound of your heart.
Be thankful that you are here, swallowed with all hope,
where you can rest and wait. Be nostalgic. Think of all
the things you did and could have done. Remember
treading water in the center of the still night sea, your toes
pointing again and again down, down into the black depths.

Things to Do in the Belly of the Whale, Dan Albergotti

I’m three years in the belly of the whale. I have little will to say anything about it, about the horrors deep down in the dark.
At least I will say this: I have just returned home from two weeks with my family in Portugal, which was blessedly unremarkable. We were together. And though our hearts never stop aching, at least for this time they beat together.
So I would add, if you are in the belly of the whale and someone else has been swallowed whole, then hug them tight.

I hope you all had peaceful Thanksgivings.

This crazy tart came about from 2 unopened bottles of wine left in my fridge. I wanted to use one of my favorite pairings, which is pear with cranberry and gingerbread spices. I’ve not dabbled much in poaching pears, but I figured now was as good a time as any.
Half of them take a bath in a dark red wine, spiced with cinnamon and clove, simmering until they are ruby red. The other half are in rosé and come out with only a faint blush.
A crisp shell is made with a hint of molasses and spice and blind baked to ensure it is not soggy on the bottom. Layered inside are a punchy, fresh cranberry sauce, then a layer of rich almond frangipane, and finally, thin alternating slices of wine poached pears.
To finish, little cutout decorations of crust and sugared cranberries dance around the rim.
It is a showstopper dessert, to be sure. It would be at home amidst any holiday spread. I think it’s worth all the effort, though I will say I had to run my dishwasher twice by the end of it all.

As with last year’s post (of a lush maple espresso tart), because it is November 30th and holiday baking is gearing up:
Christmas, previously:

Cakes:
Alpine dreams come true: gingerbread village complete with ski lift and chalet atop a fluffy mountain cake.
A shaggy little number: coconut cream cheese cake with cranberry curd filling.
Indulgent, gorgeous, and so so French: chestnut, chocolate, and cream croquembouche au craquelin
The cutest little pink number with an even cuter, dinky reindeer: gingerbread house on an orange spice and chocolate cake.
My pride and joy, the most elaborate cake on the blog: la souche de Noël.
A different, more whimsical take on a tree cake: this eggnog-filled, bauble-bedecked Christmas tree.
Golden and gleaming, an almond and orange spice cake.
A classic: red velvet with a winter woodland theme.
The fluffiest of cakes, a chocolate and peppermint cake with marshmallow frosting.
Oldie but a goodie: chocolate buttermilk cupcakes with peppermint buttercream.

Cookies:
Construction gingerbread, built into a cabinet of curiosities. 
A gingerbread lantern, lit from within.
A gorgeous mix of textures with cream cheese holly cookies, chocolate pistachio shortbread, and maple/nutmeg/rye trees.
A box full of brownies, coffee bean cookies, maple almond swirls, and lady grey orange sugar cookies.
Simple but effective pistachio and cranberry butter cookies.
Super intricate and crunchy maple and black pepper gingersnaps.
Luster-dust highlighted sugar cookie Christmas trees.
Very grown-up chocolate orange Linzer cookies.
Festive eggnog sugar cookies, decorated with royal icing and sprinkles.
Twists on the classic: honey spice and dark chocolate sugar cookies, perfect for cutting into shapes.
Pepparkakor with lemon royal icing, decorated with mehndi-inspired swirls.
Chocolate peppermint macarons… Macarons are still my nemesis.
Classic Linzer cookies with different fillings.
Maple, nutmeg, and rye sugar cookies, dressed all in winter white.
Chocolate, sour cherry, and coconut cookies; grapefruit butter cookies; and dark chocolate pecan snowcaps, all crammed into one post.
Cinnamon toast crunch marshmallow treats, chocolate peppermint shortbread, Russian teacakes, 5-spice snickerdoodles, another post bursting with recipes.
Whimsical peppermint marshmallow ropes; not cookies per se, but great for gifting.

Wine-Poached Pear and Cranberry Tart
makes 1 8-inch tart
frangipane recipe from King Arthur Baking
poached pear recipe adapted lightly from Bojon Gourmet

ingredients:
1 recipe of pâte sucrée, prepared with 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon, 1/2 teaspoon ginger, 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg, 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves, and 1 tablespoon dark molasses

for the poached pears:
6 bosc pears, peeled, cut into halves, and cored
480 grams (2 cups) red wine
480 grams (2 cups) water
175 grams (3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons) sugar
480 grams (2 cups) rose wine
480 grams (2 cups) water
175 grams (3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons) sugar
2 cinnamon sticks
4 whole cloves

for the cranberry sauce:
170 grams (6 ounces) cranberries
100 grams (1/2 cup) sugar
60 grams (1/4 cup) water
pinch salt

for the frangipane:
85 grams (6 tablespoons) unsalted butter, at room temperature
100 grams (1/2 cup) sugar
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
100 grams (1 cup) almond flour
25 grams (3 tablespoons) AP flour
1 egg
1/4 teaspoon almond extract
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

for the sugared cranberries:
1 cup cranberries
100 grams (1/2 cup) sugar
60 grams (1/4 cup) water
sparkling and granulated sugars as needed, approx 1/3 cup

directions:
Poach the pears: in a small but deep sauce pot, mix red wine with first measure of water and sugar, then add 1 cinnamon stick and 1 whole clove.
Repeat in a separate small but deep sauce pot: mix rosê wine with second measure of water and sugar, then add 1 cinnamon stick and 1 whole clove.
Bring each wine mixture to a boil, then carefully add in 4-6 pear halves (or as many as will fit).
Ensure the pears are just fully covered.
Reduce the heat to low-medium (aim for a low simmer) and poach for 20-25 minutes, or until the pears are soft and easily pierced with a knife but still holding their shape.
Allow pears to cool with syrup off the heat.
Pears can be stored inside their poaching liquid refrigerated for up to 2 weeks.
Ensure that they are fully covered with sugar syrup when storing.

Make the pâte sucrée, adding spices and molasses during the first butter creaming step.
Once the dough is rested, use a rolling pin to roll out to a 12 inch diameter circle, then carefully roll dough around the rolling pin and unroll over the pan.
Press dough up the sides of the pan. With remaining dough, cut out leaf shapes or other decorations as desired (gingerbread men would be cute).
Place in refrigerator for at least 30 minutes and up to a day.

Make the sugared cranberries: heat the water and first measure of sugar together in a sauce pot until sugar is dissolved.
Allow to cool and then place the cranberries into the sugar syrup.
Allow to sit for at least 30 min in the syrup.
Drain the cranberries and allow them to sit for 10 minutes to become slightly tacky.
Place the second measure of sugar in a bowl and place the cranberries in the bowl.
Shake around so that all of the cranberries are covered in sugar.

Make the cranberry sauce: place all ingredients in a deep pot and bring to a boil.
Allow to boil until all of the cranberries have burst and the sauce has thickened considerably.
Cool completely before using.

Make the frangipane: beat butter, sugar, salt, and extracts together on medium speed.
Stir in the flours and egg.
Place in a piping bag with a large round tip and set aside.

Finally, assemble and bake the tart: preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Line chilled tart shell with parchment and fill to the brim with pie weights, beans, or sugar.
Transfer to a sheet pan, then bake until just set and golden brown around the edges, about 20 minutes.
Meanwhile, slice your pears thinly and then alternate the slices if desired, to get a red-rosé-red-rosé pattern; it is best to match up sizes, so that all the large slices are together and all the smaller slices are together.
Carefully spread cranberry sauce on the bottom of the tart shell, then pipe frangipane in a swirl starting in the center, aiming for an even layer.
Starting at the edges, arrange the pear slices starting with the largest slices in concentric rings around the tart.
Bake for an additional 30 minutes, or until the frangipane is fully set and a toothpick comes out clean.
Brush any crust cutouts with egg wash and sprinkle with sanding sugar, if desired.
For small, 1 inch cookies like those used here, bake for 8 minutes, then move to a cooling rack immediately.
Use the cookies and sugared cranberries to decorate the finished tart as desired.