Chocolate and Pear Cake

 

Autumn means beautiful pears.Super versatile, they’re delicious in both sweet and savoury dishes. Our favourite? This pear and chocolate cake - an indulgent treat that’s perfect for any occasion and just happens to be gluten free too!

 

Chocolate and Pear Cake

Ingredients

4 very ripe pears, peeled, halved and cored

85g gluten-free dark chocolate, broken into pieces

85g butter, plus 1 tbsp extra for tin

85g caster sugar, plus extra for tin

1 tbsp brandy

3 eggs, separated

85g almonds, toasted and ground in a food processor

Method

  1. Cut a circle of baking paper to fit the base of a 25cm loose-bottomed cake tin. Melt 1 tbsp butter and brush the inside of the tin, then line the base with the baking paper and brush again with more butter. Spoon in 2 tbsp caster sugar, swirl it around to coat the base and sides removing any excess

  2. Heat oven 180C (fan forced) or 160C (conventional).

  3. Melt the chocolate and butter in a bowl over a pan of hot water, remove from the heat, stir in the brandy and leave to cool.

  4. Whisk the egg yolks with the sugar in a large bowl until pale and thick; fold into the chocolate with the almonds.

  5. In a separate bowl, with a clean whisk, beat the egg whites until they reach a soft peak (try not to whisk them too stiffly or you’ll have trouble folding them in).

  6. Stir a spoonful of the egg whites into the chocolate mix, then carefully fold in the rest of them in 2 additions.

  7. Spoon the mixture into the cake tin. Level, then arrange the pears over the mixture, cut-side down.

  8. Bake for 40 mins until the pears are soft and the cake is cooked all the way through.

  9. Leave to cool in the tin slightly before releasing it, then place on a rack to cool completely.

    ENJOY

    Recipes thanks to Kathy Kordalis, Home Economist

    Ingredients for Chocolate and Pear Cake

    Lurpak Butter Slightly Salted 250g

    $5.80 ea
     

    Lurpak Spreadable Slightly Salted 250g

    $5.50 ea
     

    Pirovic Free Range Eggs x6 300g

    $3.99 ea
     

    The Market Grocer Almonds Dry Roasted 150g

    $4.99 ea
     

    Harris Farm Almonds Dry Roasted 500g

    $6.99 ea
     

    Golden Shore Caster Sugar 1kg

    $2.99 ea
     

    Pirovic Free Range Eggs x12 660g

    $5.99 ea
     

    Harris Farm Almonds Smoked 500g

    $6.99 ea
     

    Harris Farm Cashews Raw 500g

    $14.99 ea
     

    Pirovic Cage Free Barn Laid Eggs x6 300g

    $2.99 ea
     

    Harris Farm Cashews Roasted and Salted 500g

    $12.99 ea
     
     

    The Market Grocer Almonds Raw Organic 200g

    $11.99 ea
     

    The Market Grocer Almonds Raw 175g

    $4.99 ea
     

    The Market Grocer Walnut Halves 150g

    $5.99 ea
     

    The Market Grocer Nut Mix Raw 150g

    $5.49 ea
     

    Harris Farm Walnuts 500g

    $6.99 ea
     

    Harris Farm Cashews Raw 250g

    $6.99 ea
     
     
     
     
     
     
     

    The Market Grocer Almonds Dry Roasted 100g

    $4.49 ea
     
     

    The Market Grocer Almonds Smokehouse 100g

    $3.99 ea
     
     
     
     

    The Market Grocer Delicious Mix 100g

    $3.99 ea
     

    The Market Grocer Roasted Trio Nut Mix 145g

    $5.99 ea
     

    Lurpak Butter Slightly Salted 400g

    $8.00 ea
     

    Lurpak Butter Unsalted 400g

    $8.00 ea
     

    Lurpak Softest Slightly Salted 250g

    $5.50 ea