PEAR AND HAZELNUT CHOCOLATE TORTE

It’s unseasonably cold here and has been for some time. I have nothing but respect for those of you that live in day temperatures that typically fall below 6 or so degrees celsius.

The last few months have been busy for us. The short story – there’s been a bit going on in our world since the last post. Life has got to being very much one thing after another. It’s felt like just as we’d catch our breath from a busy stretch of days, another lot would show up. We got caught up in the frenzy of work, family/social commitments and the endless to-do lists.

Sometimes things don’t quite work out the way you hoped they would. The days run away – they really do. Needless to say, we’re eager to get back in the kitchen to learn new things and share our stories and pictures with you.

Chilly weather requires two things: a steamy mug of coffee and chocolate. Because chocolate makes everything better. This pear and hazelnut chocolate torte is rich and oh so fudgy with a lovely cracked chocolate top. There are only eight ingredients, six or seven of which you probably have on hand already. I should mention that this cake is gluten-free too.

Pear and Hazelnut Chocolate Torte

• 150g unsalted butter
• 250g dark chocolate, chopped
• 5 eggs
• 265g caster sugar
• 200g hazelnut meal
• 2 overripe pears, peeled and roughly mashed
• 25g Dutch process cocoa powder, sifted
• Pinch of salt

Preheat oven to 180°C. Grease and line the base and sides of a 20 cm x 30 cm rectangle pan.

Place the butter and chocolate in a heatproof bowl set over a pan of gently simmering water making sure not to let the water touch the bowl. Stir until melted and smooth. Let it cool for at least 5 minutes.

Place the sugar and eggs in a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment and whisk on a high speed until thick and pale (around 4-5 minutes). Fold in the hazelnut meal, pear, cocoa powder, melted chocolate mixture and a pinch of salt.

Spread into the prepared pan and bake for 40 minutes or until the top of the torte is cracked slightly with the middle still a little soft and slightly fudgy. Take it out of the oven when there are still some crumbs on your cake tester or toothpick. Then muster up all the restraint you can and wait until the torte is cooled completely before cutting.

It will be quite fragile when cut. You can put it in the fridge overnight which will make it a little denser and firmer in texture. Either way it’s delicious – and perfect to have with a steamy cup of coffee.

{Recipe slightly adapted from Phoebe Wood}