Chocolate and Poached Pear Cake
8-10
servings30
minutes55
minutesWelcome to Williams Pears, in season now from late summer to autumn. And at HFM, all are grown in the Goulburn Valley because they are at their best from there. Introduced here in the 19th century, they’re now one of Australia’s most popular pear varieties as they’re so user-friendly. They’re prized for their juicy, fragrant flesh and vibrant yellow colour when ripe. They’re a go-to for eating fresh when they’re crisp, and for cooking when they’re slightly softer – in fact, they’re used in both sweet and savoury dishes often. And they’re really popular for kids’ lunchboxes.
They’re also an excellent source of dietary fibre, vitamin C and antioxidants. So eat up and know they’re doing you a power of good!
Ingredients
- FOR THE PEARS
500 ml 500 water
100 g 100 sugar
1 stick 1 cinnamon
1 tsp 1 vanilla extract
3 firm 3 pears, peeled (keep stems on)
- FOR THE CAKE
150 g 150 butter, softened
150 g 150 brown sugar
200 g 200 dark chocolate, melted (keep extra for drizzling)
150 g 150 self raising flour
30 g 30 cocoa powder
1/2 tsp 1/2 baking powder
100 ml 100 milk
Method
- In a saucepan, simmer water, sugar, cinnamon and vanilla. Add pears and poach for 20 minutes until just tender.
- Beat butter and sugar until fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, then stir in melted chocolate.
- Sift flour, cocoa and baking powder. Fold into batter, alternating with milk.
- Pour batter into greased loaf tin, then gently press poached pears upright into batter.
- Bake at 170°C (fan forced) for 45-50 minutes.
- Cool, dust with icing sugar, then drizzle with the remaining melted chocolate.
Notes
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