Pear, Walnut and Chocolate Cake

It's St. Valentine's Day today and the Mahjong girls came over to our house this afternoon for the weekly round of games, so chocolate had to be in the ingredients for the cake I chose to bake. I also had some beautiful Corella pears which had been in my refrigerator crisper for over a week, which is normally unheard of, so it had to primarily be a Pear cake. 

I was really pleased with the result, and the girls seemed to enjoy it. Pears, Nuts, Honey and Chocolate, what's not to love about these ingredients in a cake. A slice of my homemade shortbread on the side was a delicious accompaniment.

Let's Cook:

Ingredients:

225 g plain flour

2 teaspoon baking powder

2 teaspoons mixed spice

270 g (1 1/4 cups) caster sugar

2 eggs

150g butter, at room temperature

3 (about 450 g) pears, Packham or Corella, cored, peeled coarsely chopped

1/3 cup dark chocolate chips

60ml (1/4 cup) pear juice

2 tablespoons honey

55 g (1/2 cup) walnuts, coarsely chopped.

Extra honey to serve.

Melted butter to grease the cake tin.

METHOD:

Preheat your oven to 170 deg. C and prepare your cake tin.

Lightly grease a 20 cm round springform cake tin with melted or softened butter.

Line the base and side with non-stick baking paper.

Beat together the butter and sugar in a medium sized bowl with an electric beater, until creamy and pale. I used my Kitchen Aid.  

Meanwhile sift the flour, baking powder and mixed spice into a bowl.

Add the eggs one at a time to the cake batter and beat after each addition until just combined.

Into the cake batter, and adding a spoonful at a time, gently fold in by hand the sifted flour, baking powder and mixed spice.

Add the pear juice and fold in to combine.

Add the chopped pear, walnut pieces, and chocolate chips to the batter and stir to combine. Spoon the cake mixture into the prepared cake tin and smooth the top of the batter with a spoon.

I might have added a layer of extra chocolate chips and then topped them up with the rest of the batter! After it all it is St. Valentine's Day. Time for a splurge with cake.

Bake in your preheated oven for 1 1/4 hours at the most or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. My cake only took 1 hour 5 minutes.

Brush your hot cake with the honey. Leave your cake to cool slightly in the tin for 10 minutes before moving to a wire rack to cool completely. Thanks to our backyard Italian bees for this beautiful honey.

Serve the cake in wedge shaped slices, and drizzle with more honey if your wish. I sprinkled icing sugar over the slices and served with creme fraiche, and a homegrown Dianthus flower from our garden for a little simple adornment.

Cook's notes:

Cake can be made up to a day ahead, and store in an airtight container.

Sub out the chocolate chips for sultanas if you prefer.

I love walnuts and they are kind to our gut. The walnuts can also be changed for another chopped nut you have on hand; however, walnuts are a nice soft nut for cooking with. I always buy a large bag of walnuts and store them in the freezer in a covered container. Walnuts can go rancid if left unrefrigerated in warm conditions. 

I think you can safely use whatever pears are in season and reasonable in price to purchase. Our Valentine's Day is almost over, but it is just starting in the chilly Northern hemisphere. To all of the romantics who are reading this, Happy St. Valentine's Day.

Bye for now. 

Warm wishes

Pauline x