Chocolate Pear Cake

OK so we all know I am a fan of chocolate cake.  I mean, who isn't??  But I wanted to make something with the pears I had in my fruit bowl and stumbled across a delicious recipe by one of my favourite chefs, Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall.  Pear and chocolate are a marriage made in heaven and this cake really is lovely. I have adapted it a bit and I hope you enjoy!

Chocolate Pear Cake
Serves 6

Ingredients
4 ripe pears
35g butter
2 tablespoons brown sugar
50g ground almonds
120g self-raising flour
60g cocoa
150g soft butter
150g caster sugar
2 eggs
50ml milk
100g dark chocolate, melted

For the pears//
Peel and quarter your pears, melt the butter in a pan on medium heat and add the sugar & stir until dissolved.  Add the pears and cook gently for a few minutes until tender and set aside.

For the cake//
Combine the ground almonds, flour and cocoa powder and set aside.
Beat the butter and sugar together with a handheld electric whisk or in a mixer for several minutes until very light and fluffy.
Beat in the eggs, one at a time, adding a spoonful of the almond mix with each.
Fold in the remaining almond mix, with a large metal spoon or spatula, then add the melted chocolate & stir in a little milk to get a mixture with a soft dropping consistency.
Spread this mix into a greased and lined baking tin or dish (I used a medium rectangular one about 20 x 20cm) and arrange the pears on the top.
Drizzle any sugary buttery saucy goodness from the pan.

Bake for about 45 minutes or until a skewer comes out clean.
Leave to cool in the tin.

You can add a chocolate sauce too if this is for dessert and then have it with some vanilla ice cream.  Divine!!!  Or like me, you can cut a huge wedge and have it with a cup of steaming hot tea and enjoy the moments peace!

Enjoy my friends ♥