FLOURLESS CHOCOLATE AND PEAR CAKE

I must admit I always choose creamy desserts over cakes, as I find it harder to finish a slice of thick cake than a few spoonfuls of cream.  Anyhow, this cake is one of the few exceptions.  I guess the fact that it is flourless has a lot to do with it.  This is a gluten free cake and the almond meal makes for a fuller yet lighter texture than any “normal” cake I have baked in the past.  Also, I find it impossible to resist anything made with dark chocolate and I think that chocolate and pears are the best combination EVER, so this cake had my full attention from the first time I saw it.  Actually, I have seen a few versions online, but, as always, I made a few changes to the original recipe.  I added Kahlua and substituted hazelnut meal for almond meal as I had a full bag of the latter in my pantry.  I was really happy with the result and so were my kids, who devoured it (pears included) in the blink of an eye!  Enjoy it plain or with some crème fraîche.

5 from 1 vote

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Flourless Chocolate and Pear Cake

How to make a sinful gluten free cake: Flourless Chocolate and Pear Cake

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: International

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 40 minutes

Total Time: 55 minutes

Author: Recipe adapted from BBC Good Food

Ingredients

• 85 gms – 3 oz. butter + 1 tbsp to grease the tin
• 85 gms – 3 oz. caster sugar + 1 tbsp to coat the tin
• 85 gms dark chocolate broken into pieces
• 1 tbsp Kahlua
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 3 eggs separated
• 85 gms – 3 oz. almond meal
• 3 very ripe pears peeled, cored and quartered
• Icing sugar for dusting

Instructions

1. Cut a circle of baking paper to fit the base of your spring form pan. Brush the inside of the pan with 1 tbsp of melted butter, then line the base with the baking paper and brush it with more butter. Add 1 tbsp of caster sugar, swirl it around to coat the pan everywhere and remove any excess.

   

2. Melt the chocolate and butter in a double boiler. When ready, remove it from the heat, add the Kahlua and keep it aside to cool down.

   

3. Beat the egg whites until soft peaks form and keep them aside.

   
4. Whisk the egg yolks with the sugar until pale. Add the melted chocolate and almond meal and mix until well combined.
5. Add the egg whites little by little and gently incorporate them to the mixture.

6. Pour the mixture into the pan and level it. Arrange the pears over the mixture, cut side down.

   

7. Bake in a pre heated oven at 180°C – 355°F for about 40 minutes or until the pears are soft and the cake is cooked through.

   
8. Let it cool down before unmoulding it. When completely cool, dust it with icing sugar.

Recipe Notes

You can serve it plain or with some crème fraîche on the side.

Manu

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