Spiced Hazelnut-Pear Cake With Chocolate Sauce
Serves: 3
Llewellyn Gorczany
1 January 1970
Based on User reviews:
50
Spice
42
Sweetness
45
Sourness
43
mins
Prep time (avg)
5
Difficulty
Ingredients:
2 cups
White Wine (dry)1.25 cups
Light Brown Sugar2 tbsps
Unsalted Butter (cubed)1.5 tsps
Ground Cinnamon3 tsp
Vanilla Extract1 cup
Hazelnut (blanched)2.75 cups
All-Purpose Flour2.25 tsps
Baking Powder1.5 tsps
Baking Soda1 tsp
Ground Cloves1 tsp
Ground Nutmeg1 tsp
Kosher Salt1 cup
Granulated Sugar3 large
Egg1.5 cups
Heavy Cream (divided)Directions:
1
Using a 1/2 tsp
2
Drizzle chocolate sauce over pears
3
Poach the pears: Peel pears
4
Measuring spoon or small melon baller, scoop upward from bottom of pears 1 1/2–2" to remove core and seeds; discard
5
Combine pears, wine, brown sugar, butter, cinnamon, vanilla, and 3 cups water in a large, heavy pot
6
Cut a round of parchment to fit just inside pot and cover pears
7
Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer, turning pears occasionally to coat with liquid, until pears are very tender but not falling apart, 20–25 minutes
8
Using a slotted spoon, transfer pears to a large bowl and cover with parchment round
9
Bring poaching liquid to a boil, then cook over medium heat until reduced to the consistency of thick syrup, 12–15 minutes (you should have 1/2 cup)
10
Transfer 5 pears to a medium bowl, reserving remaining pears for cake, and pour syrup over
11
Cover with parchment and let cool, or chill overnight
12
Peel pears
13
Using a 1/2 tsp
14
Measuring spoon or small melon baller, scoop upward from bottom of pears 1 1/2–2" to remove core and seeds; discard
15
Combine pears, wine, brown sugar, butter, cinnamon, vanilla, and 3 cups water in a large, heavy pot
16
Cut a round of parchment to fit just inside pot and cover pears
17
Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer, turning pears occasionally to coat with liquid, until pears are very tender but not falling apart, 20–25 minutes
18
Using a slotted spoon, transfer pears to a large bowl and cover with parchment round
19
Bring poaching liquid to a boil, then cook over medium heat until reduced to the consistency of thick syrup, 12–15 minutes (you should have 1/2 cup)
20
Transfer 5 pears to a medium bowl, reserving remaining pears for cake, and pour syrup over
21
Cover with parchment and let cool, or chill overnight
22
Bake the cake: Preheat oven to 350°F
23
Grease cake pan with butter and line bottom with parchment paper
24
Toast hazelnuts on a rimmed baking sheet, tossing occasionally, until golden brown, 6–8 minutes
25
Meanwhile, mix flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, and salt in a medium bowl
26
Pulse 1/2 cup dry ingredients and 3/4 cup hazelnuts in a food processor until hazelnuts are chopped into a fine flour; reserve remaining hazelnuts
27
Transfer chopped hazelnuts to bowl with dry ingredients
28
Wipe out food processor bowl and add 5 poached pears
29
Pulse until smooth
30
Transfer 2 cups to a small bowl; discard leftover purée
31
Beat brown sugar, granulated sugar, vanilla, and 3/4 cup butter on medium-high speed in a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment until light and fluffy, 3–5 minutes
32
Scrape down bowl and add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition
33
Add half of pear purée and beat on low speed
34
Add half of flour mixture and beat on low to incorporate
35
Beat in remaining pear purée and flour mixture until combined
36
Pour into prepared pan; smooth top
37
Set pan on a rimmed baking sheet and bake cake, rotating sheet halfway through, until center is set and a tester inserted into the center comes out clean, about 1 hour, 15 minutes
38
Transfer pan to a wire rack and let cool
39
Preheat oven to 350°F
40
Grease cake pan with butter and line bottom with parchment paper
41
Toast hazelnuts on a rimmed baking sheet, tossing occasionally, until golden brown, 6–8 minutes
42
Meanwhile, mix flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, and salt in a medium bowl
43
Pulse 1/2 cup dry ingredients and 3/4 cup hazelnuts in a food processor until hazelnuts are chopped into a fine flour; reserve remaining hazelnuts
44
Transfer chopped hazelnuts to bowl with dry ingredients
45
Wipe out food processor bowl and add 5 poached pears
46
Pulse until smooth
47
Transfer 2 cups to a small bowl; discard leftover purée
48
Beat brown sugar, granulated sugar, vanilla, and 3/4 cup butter on medium-high speed in a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment until light and fluffy, 3–5 minutes
49
Scrape down bowl and add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition
50
Add half of pear purée and beat on low speed
51
Add half of flour mixture and beat on low to incorporate
52
Beat in remaining pear purée and flour mixture until combined
53
Pour into prepared pan; smooth top
54
Set pan on a rimmed baking sheet and bake cake, rotating sheet halfway through, until center is set and a tester inserted into the center comes out clean, about 1 hour, 15 minutes
55
Transfer pan to a wire rack and let cool
56
Assemble the cake: Turn chilled pears in liquid to coat, then transfer liquid (about 1/2 cup) to a small saucepan
57
Add chocolate and 3/4 cup cream and cook over medium-low heat, stirring, just until chocolate is melted
58
Whisk to combine, then transfer to a medium bowl
59
Chill, stirring occasionally so chocolate doesn't set, until room temperature, about 10 minutes
60
Remove cake from pan, trim top with a serrated knife if domed, and invert onto a 12" platter
61
Remove parchment
62
Using a toothpick, poke holes all over top of cake
63
Using a pastry brush, brush top with 1/4 cup chocolate sauce
64
Meanwhile, coarsely chop remaining 1/4 cup toasted hazelnuts
65
Whip remaining 3/4 cup cream to medium-soft peaks in stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment
66
Top cake with whipped cream, pears, and hazelnuts
67
Serve remaining chocolate sauce alongside
68
Turn chilled pears in liquid to coat, then transfer liquid (about 1/2 cup) to a small saucepan
69
Add chocolate and 3/4 cup cream and cook over medium-low heat, stirring, just until chocolate is melted
70
Whisk to combine, then transfer to a medium bowl
71
Chill, stirring occasionally so chocolate doesn't set, until room temperature, about 10 minutes
72
Remove cake from pan, trim top with a serrated knife if domed, and invert onto a 12" platter
73
Remove parchment
74
Using a toothpick, poke holes all over top of cake
75
Using a pastry brush, brush top with 1/4 cup chocolate sauce
76
Meanwhile, coarsely chop remaining 1/4 cup toasted hazelnuts
77
Whip remaining 3/4 cup cream to medium-soft peaks in stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment
78
Top cake with whipped cream, pears, and hazelnuts
79
Drizzle chocolate sauce over pears
80
Serve remaining chocolate sauce alongside
81
Do Ahead Cake and pears can be made 2 days ahead; cover in separate containers and chill
82
Cake and pears can be made 2 days ahead; cover in separate containers and chill