The Results of Torte-ure

I have good news and I have bad news.

The good news is that Dorie Greenspan's Fold-Over Pear Torte exceeded my greatest expectations. I think I swooned when I pulled it out of the oven. And was brought to tears when I pulled the torte from the pan to reveal the most beautiful "tall, golden, roly-poly dessert" that I've ever made.

The bad news is that I didn't get a picture of the torte out of the pan.

Or on the cake plate.

Or sliced.

Or with a dollop of the homemade whipped cream that I had beat into submission.

Because my camera took a swan dive--figuratively speaking, anyway.

And because I had but minutes before my guests arrived.

And because I arrived home to the chirping of an equally ill-fated smoke detector battery.

And because our cat left a hairball in the baby's room.

It was a rough evening. Thankfully, I was in the company of 14 sisters who think I can do no wrong.

The torte was perfect in every way. A decadent blend of pears, apricots, walnuts, and cream. And because the recipe is indeed two pages, single-spaced, and because I don't think any kitchen is complete without Dorie's cookbook, or any of her cookbooks, I am going to insist you buy it if you want the recipe.

No, really, it's the least I can do.

Fold-over Pear Torte-ure

By and large, I don't do well on less than three hours of sleep and will rarely subject myself to the torture that is functioning in normal society the day after. However, desperate times often call for desperate measures and so here I am waiting for my second Fold-Over Pear Torte of this long, long evening to come out of the oven.

This isn't just any pear torte. It's Dorie Greenspan's Fold-Over Pear Torte. This means that it will smell, look, and taste...perfect, even if the recipe is two pages long, single spaced, and without pictures.

Yes, I am baking a sight-unseen recipe which I plan to serve to 14 very special houseguests tomorrow evening. And it is only for them that I would subject myself to this torte-ure.

Will it live up to all that I imagine it to be? Only time will tell. And most of it will be spent ingesting as much caffeine as I can find.