Flourless chocolate & pear cake

Flourless chocolate & pear cake

A light, but luscious cake made with hazelnuts - serve a slice for dessert with a dollop of crème fraîche

Difficulty and servings

Moderately easy

Serves 8

Preparation and cooking times

Preparation time

Prep 20 mins

Cook time

Cook 40 mins

Vegetarian

Vegetarian, Gluten-free

Method

  1. Cut a circle of baking parchment to fit the base of a 25cm loose-bottomed tin. Melt 1 tbsp butter and brush the inside of the tin, then line the base with the parchment and brush again with more butter. Spoon in 2 tbsp caster sugar, swirl it around to coat the base and sides, then tip out any excess.
  2. Heat oven to 180C/fan 160C/gas 4. 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. Whisk the egg yolks with the sugar in a large bowl until pale and thick; fold into the chocolate with the hazelnuts.
  3. In a separate bowl, with a clean whisk, beat the whites until they reach a soft peak (try not to whisk them too stiffly or you'll have trouble folding them in). Stir a spoonful of the whites into the chocolate mix, then carefully fold in the rest of them in 2 additions. Spoon into the prepared tin. Level, then arrange the pears over the mixture, cut-side down. Bake for 40 mins until the pears are soft and the cake is cooked all the way through. Leave to cool in the tin slightly before releasing it, then place on a rack to cool completely. Dust with icing sugar and serve with crème fraîche.

PER SERVING

334 kcalories, protein 5g, carbohydrate 28g, fat 23 g, saturated fat 9g, fibre 0g, sugar 28g, salt 0.28 g

Recipe from Good Food magazine, November 2008.

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Latest comments and suggestions

Results 81-84

  • 02 January 2013

    Lizzy Dripping rated and commented on this recipe

    5 stars

    Fantastic recipe. Very easy to make and extremely light and tasty. Used tinned pears which worked really well.

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  • Binder photo JNM

    02 January 2013

    JNM rated and commented on this recipe

    5 stars

    I needed a gluten free pudding so tried this. It was fab and I now make even when I don't need a gluten free recipe. I use ground almonds instead of hazelnuts and I replaced the brandy with ameretto. It is a lovely light dessert and everyone has always loved it.

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  • 21 April 2013

    Joanne commented on this recipe

    A great pud and very easy! I think the tin size is important on here...I'm glad I read the previous reviews, got a 25" tin and used a paper liner and it was divine...smooth, rich, chocolatey and delicious!

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  • 18 May 2013

    IsadoraDumpling commented on this recipe

    This is a bit of a faff. I will do this on occasions such as Xmas or Easter but it will not become an every month feature unless it works with my cheating ways! I try these recipes with whole eggs whisked well and most of them are successful and so I will once again, outrage any chefs out there but I am not one and I need time not kudos. It is not my career path. Ordinary mortals simply wish to produce reasonably decorative but infinitely palatable food. Sorry chefs!

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Difficulty and servings

Moderately easy

Serves 8

Preparation and cooking times

Preparation time

Prep 20 mins

Cook time

Cook 40 mins

Vegetarian

Vegetarian, Gluten-free

Ingredients

  • 85g butter , plus 1 tbsp extra for tin
  • 85g golden caster sugar , plus extra for tin
  • 85g gluten-free dark chocolate , broken into pieces
  • 1 tbsp brandy
  • 3 eggs , separated
  • 85g hazelnuts , toasted and ground in a food processor
  • 4 very ripe pears , peeled, halved and cored
  • icing sugar , for dusting
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PER SERVING

334 kcalories, protein 5g, carbohydrate 28g, fat 23 g, saturated fat 9g, fibre 0g, sugar 28g, salt 0.28 g

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