Gluten-Free Chocolate & Pear Pudding Cake
By Good FoodImpress guests with this squidgy flourless chocolate cake topped with juicy pears – it's perfect as a dessert or an afternoon sweet treat.Time and servings
Ingredients
10 total- 4 very ripe Morrisons Market Street pears, peeled, halved and cored
- 200g butter, chopped into small pieces, plus extra for the tin
- 200g dark cooking chocolate, chopped into small pieces
- 175g golden caster sugar
- 100g mascarpone or soft cheese
- 100g ground almonds
- 3 eggs
- 1⁄4 tsp vanilla extract
- 30g cocoa powder, plus extra to serve
- Icing sugar, for dusting
Method
5 stepsStep 1
Butter and line a 25cm round cake tin and preheat the oven to 180C/160C fan/ gas 4.
Step 2
Melt the chocolate and butter in a bowl over a pan of hot water, or in short bursts in the microwave, then leave to cool.
Step 3
Beat the eggs and sugar with an electric whisk for 4-5 mins, or until thickened and the whisk leaves a trail in the mixture. Add the mascarpone or soft cheese and vanilla and beat until combined. Lightly fold in the cooled melted chocolate until incorporated, then fold in the almonds. Sift over the cocoa powder and a small pinch of salt, and fold in to combine.
Step 4
Scrape the cake mix into the prepared tin. Arrange the Morrisons pears over the top, cut-side down, and press down gently. Bake for 45-50 mins, until the cake has risen over the pears and cracked on top.
Step 5
Leave to cool in the tin for 30-40 mins – it will deflate as it cools. Dust with icing sugar and cocoa, and serve warm, or leave to cool fully for a more brownie-like consistency.