A simple and satisfying gluten-free chocolate dessert. Flourless chocolate pear cake is best served with ice cream or a dollop of crème fraîche .
This is the perfect dessert to make when guests are coming over. It fills the entire house with an intoxicating chocolate aroma.
No need for fancy scented candles when you’re baking chocolate!
Chocolate Pear Cake
This is the autumn version of the traditional flourless chocolate cake. The addition of pears and ground hazelnuts amplifies the warm flavors of fall.
It’s perfect for celebrations big and small, casual or formal.
Flourless Cake Ingredients
- Butter
- Dark Chocolate
- Sugar
- Eggs
- Ground Hazelnuts
- Cinnamon
- Espresso Powder (optional)
- Pears
This flourless chocolate and pear cake relies on melted chocolate and whipped eggs for texture and stability. No chemical leavenings agents (such as baking powder or baking soda) are used.
Ground hazelnuts contributes to the cake’s texture. You may substitute with equal parts ground almonds (almond flour).
Hazelnut works best for this recipe because of it’s flavor. Hazelnut and chocolate pair wonderfully with pears.
Add to a touch of espresso whenever baking with chocolate. The espresso helps to enhance the dark, rich flavors of chocolate. This ingredient is optional.
Nut Flour
Start with whole toasted hazelnut. Grind the hazelnuts to your liking.
Coarsely ground will provide a little crunch and texture to the cake. Otherwise, finely ground the hazelnuts to a powder.
Asides from hazelnuts, this recipe will work with ground almonds (almond meal or almond flour).
Tips for Baking with Pears
Large pears work best for this recipes. Smaller pears may sink and disappear into the cake.
You may keep the pear skin on or peel the skin off. Use any variety of pears.
I recommend Bartlett pears. This variety comes in green or red skin. Bartlett pears are known for their iconic “pear shape.”
Anjou is another great option. They are a bit more firm in texture, making them very versatile.
When is a pear ripe?
It is best to ripen pears at room temperature. Check the pear’s neck for ripeness.
Gently pinch the pear’s neck using your thumb and index finger (pointer finger). If it yields to gentle pressure, the pear is good to go!
Other Ways to Assemble
- Use thinly sliced pears instead of halves
- Sprinkle chopped hazelnuts over batter before baking
- Generously add large chunks of dark chocolate before baking
Slice up the pears for a more visually striking and dramatic presentation.
Chopped hazelnuts and dark chocolate chunks also texture and contrast.
However, the cake will be a little more difficult to slice with the extra hazelnuts on top. Use a serrated knife to ensure clean slices.
Serving Suggestions
Serve warm or at room temperature. Dust with sifted powdered sugar before serving.
Delicious served with vanilla ice cream, whipped cream, or creme fracihe.
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge. Warm to room temperature, reheat in a toaster oven, or enjoy chilled. Leftovers will keep in the fridge for up to three days.
More Pear Recipes
Flourless Chocolate Pear Cake
Ingredients
- ½ cup + 2 Tbsp unsalted butter, (135 g)
- ¾ cup chopped dark chocolate, (135 g)
- 1 Tablespoon bourbon, whiskey, or dark rum of choice,, optional
- ½ grams granulated sugar, (100 g)
- 4 large eggs, , separated
- 1 cup whole hazelnuts, (130 g) toasted and ground
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon instant espresso powder
- 3-4 pears, peeled, halved, and cored*
- additional chopped hazelnuts and chopped chocolate for topping,, if desired
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter a 9-inch round spring form pan and coat with granulated sugar. Line pan bottom with a parchment round.
- Melt butter and chocolate together in a bowl over a bain-marie. Once melted, remove from heat and mix in whiskey. Set aside.
- In the bowl of stand mixer with a whisk attachment, whisk egg yolks and granulated sugar until pale and thick.
- Whisk together ground hazelnuts, salt, cinnamon, and espresso powder. Mix into melted chocolate mixture. Fold thickened yolks into the chocolate mixture.
- In a clean bowl, whisk egg whites to soft peaks. Do not over beat. Add whites to chocolate batter in three additions, folding in whites gently.
- Pour chocolate batter into prepared pan. Level with a mini offset spatula. Place pears cut side down onto the batter. Bake for 35-45 minutes until pears are soft and cake is cooked throughout. Let cool in pan for 10-15 minutes before unmolding.
- Serve warm or at room temperature. Sprinkle with powdered sugar or serve with ice cream or creme fraiche.
Notes
- Use thinly sliced pears instead of halves
- Sprinkle chopped hazelnuts over batter before baking
- Generously add large chunks of dark chocolate before baking
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Like this recipe? Rate & comment below!
I love this cake! I actually messed up, not catching that the hazelnuts were supposed to be ground. It was a wet mess last night but it set up in the fridge and the texture is enjoyable today. The flavors are so good, and I love the look of the slice pear fans. While decorating it that way was a little time consuming, it was fun and I’m impressed how forgiving it is! Thank you for this recipe!
Thank you for trying the recipe! Happy to hear you enjoyed it and I’m glad it worked it even without the ground hazelnuts!
I love this recipe! I have an abundance of fresh pears from my trees, and this is a perfect blend of flavors!
Was lucky enough to taste this, and it was even more delicious than it looks on photo! Finished it off, crumbs and all :) Yum!