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PEAR UPSIDE-DOWN GINGERBREAD CAKE 3 peeled small pears, cored and cut lengthwise into 1/4-inch-thick slices (about 1 pound) 2 tablespoons grated peeled fresh ginger, divided 1 tablespoon lemon juice Cooking spray 2 tablespoons granulated sugar 1/2 cup packed dark brown sugar 1/4 cup butter or stick margarine, softened 1 large egg 1/2 cup low-fat buttermilk 1/4 cup molasses 1 cup all-purpose flour 1 teaspoon baking soda 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1/4 teaspoon salt 1/4 teaspoon dry mustard 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg 1 teaspoon powdered sugar

Preheat oven to 350°F.

Combine pears, 1 tablespoon ginger, and lemon juice. Coat a 9 x 2-inch round cake pan with cooking spray; sprinkle with granulated sugar. Arrange pears in bottom of pan in a circular pattern.

Combine brown sugar and butter in a large bowl; beat at medium speed of a mixer until well-blended. Beat in egg. Add buttermilk, molasses, and 1 tablespoon ginger; beat until well-blended. Lightly spoon flour into a dry measuring cup; level with a knife. Combine flour and next 6 ingredients (flour through nutmeg). Add flour mixture to batter; stir until well-blended. Pour over pears. Bake at 350°F for 40 minutes or until cake springs back when touched lightly in center. Cool in pan 20 minutes on a wire rack. Place a plate sprinkled with powdered sugar upside down on top of cake pan; invert cake onto plate.

8 servings.

Calories 244 (26% from fat); Fat 7.1g (Saturated 1.5g); Protein 3.3g; Carbohydrates 43.3g; Fiber 1.2g; Cholesterol 28mg; Iron 1.7mg; Sodium 323mg; Calcium 66mg.

GINGER-CHOCOLATE CHIP BISCOTTI

Crystallized, or candied ginger is fresh ginger that's been cooked in sugar syrup and coated with coarse sugar. It can be found with the other spices in the supermarket.

1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 large eggs
1 large egg white
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 cup semisweet chocolate minichips
2 tablespoons chopped crystallized ginger
Cooking spray

Preheat oven to 350°F.

Combine vanilla, eggs, and egg white in a large bowl; stir with a whisk. Lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups, and level with a knife. Combine the flour and next 6 ingredients (flour through cloves) in a medium bowl. Add flour mixture, chocolate minichips, and crystallized ginger to egg mixture; stir mixture until well-blended. Divide dough in half, and turn out onto a baking sheet coated with cooking spray. Shape each portion of dough into a 12-inch-long roll; flatten to 1/2-inch thickness. Bake at 350°F for 25 minutes. Remove rolls from baking sheet; cool rolls for 10 minutes on a wire rack.

Cut each roll diagonally into 18 (1/2-inch) slices. Place slices, cut sides down, on baking sheet. Bake at 350°F for 10 minutes. Turn cookies over; bake an additional 10 minutes (cookies will be slightly soft in center but will harden as they cool). Remove from baking sheet; cool completely on wire racks.

3 dozen (serving size: 1 biscotto).

Calories 65 (17% from fat); Fat 1.2g (Saturated 0.6g); Protein 1.3g; Carbohydrates 12.6g; Fiber 0.2g; Cholesterol 12mg; Iron 0.5mg; Sodium 62mg; Calcium 9mg.

QUICK-AND-EASY GINGERBREAD

1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup butter or stick margarine, softened
1/2 cup orange juice
1/3 cup molasses
1/4 cup egg substitute or 1 egg white
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
Cooking spray
1 teaspoon powdered sugar

Preheat oven to 350°F.

Beat granulated sugar and butter at medium speed of a mixer until well-blended. Add juice, molasses, and egg substitute; beat well, and set aside.

Lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Combine the flour and the next 6 ingredients (flour through nutmeg) in a small bowl; gradually add flour mixture to molasses mixture, stirring until well-blended. Pour batter into an 8-inch square baking pan coated with cooking spray. Bake at 350°F for 25 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool gingerbread in pan on a wire rack. Sprinkle with powdered sugar.

9 servings (serving size: 1 square).

Calories 209 (23% from fat); Fat 5.4g (Saturated 1.1g); Protein 3g; Carbohydrates 37.6g; Fiber 0.6g; Cholesterol 0mg; Iron 1.8mg; Sodium 237mg; Calcium 50mg.

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Victoria Abbott Riccardi is a freelance recipe developer. Patrick Earvolino is an Associate Editor at Cooking Light.

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