Dessert

When I was growing up, upside-down cakes were made with pineapple, usually from a can. To create something reminiscent of that, but with a bit more seasonality and sophistication, I thought of a pear upside-down cake. It may not be obvious to beginners, but an upside-down cake starts with fruit on the bottom and batter on top; when it’s done, you flip it out of the pan so the fruit is on the top.

This spice-filled, smooth, rich pumpkin pie comes from restaurateur Lydia Shire of Locke-Ober and Scampo in Boston, and Blue Sky in York Beach, Maine. She makes it for her own table.

These brownies are made with unsweetened cocoa powder, garbanzo bean flour, and chocolate morsels. Bake them in an 11-by-8-inch glass dish or a standard 9-by-13-inch pan. The glass produces a thicker brownie with a chewy crust; the metal pan a thinner brownie with softer edges. All ingredients are gluten-free.