Chocolate, Hazelnut & Pear Cake September 17, 2021

Inspired by Donna Hay

1/3 cup coconut sugar

5 pears, halved 

250g unsalted butter, chopped

1 cup unsweetened almond milk

2 eggs

2/3 cup coconut yoghurt

1 1/2 cups spelt flour

1/4 cup cacao powder 

1 1/2 tsp bicarbonate of soda

1 1/2 cups caster (or superfine coconut) sugar

1 cup ground hazelnuts (or almonds)

Coconut yoghurt to serve

Preheat oven to 160C and line a round springform tin with parchment paper. Place 2 tablespoons of coconut sugar on a small plate and dip the cut side of each pear in the sugar. Place a large non-stick frying pan over high heat. Add the pear, sugar-side down, and cook for 5 minutes or until caramelised and golden. Arrange the pear, cut-side down, in the base of the tin. 

Place 2 tablespoons of the butter and the remaining coconut sugar in the pan and cook ntil thickened slightly. Pour the mixture over the pear.

Place the almond milk and the remaining butter in the pan and cook, stirring, until the butter is melted. Transfer to a large bowl and add the eggs, sour cream, flour, cacao, bicarbonate of soda, caster sugar and ground hazelnuts. Whisk until combined and pour into the tin. Bake for 1 hour 30 minutes or until cooked when tested with a skewer. Allow the cake to cool in the tin for 15 minutes. Remove the cake from the tin and place on a cake stand or plate. Serve with coconut yoghurt.