250g (9oz)dark (bittersweet) chocolateat least 64% cacao solids
175g (6oz)butter (unsalted)
1teaspooncoffee powder
2tablespoonplain (all-purpose) flour(optional)
Instructions
Caramel Pears
Preheat the oven to 200°C/180°C fan/400°F (gas 6). Butter a 25cm cake pan (no need to if using a silicone round cake mould, or moule à manqué that’s non-stick).
Make a caramel by stirring the sugar into the water in a heavy-based saucepan. Leave to simmer (don’t stir at this stage) until a golden caramel forms then stir in the butter. Immediately pour the caramel into the cake pan.
Peel the pears and cut them in half. Remove the cores with a sharp knife then cut each half into three slices. Arrange them as packed together as you can on top of the caramel (they’ll shrink as they cook) and bake in the oven for 20 minutes. Remove to cool slightly.
To make the Chocolate Cake Batter
Using a hand whisk, beat the eggs with the sugar in a large bowl until pale and creamy. Break up the chocolate into pieces and melt it together with the butter and coffee powder in a heat-proof bowl on top of a pan of simmering water (bain-marie), ensuring that the water doesn’t touch the chocolate bowl. When smooth and melted, whisk together the chocolate into the egg, then add the flour (if using), mix then pour the chocolate batter on top of the pears. Bake for 25-30 minutes.
Leave to cool slightly for about 10 minutes. Using a sharp blade of a knife, go around the sides to ensure nothing is sticking. Place a large serving plate over the pan and, holding on to both plate and pan, flip the plate upside down to de-mould the cake.
Notes
Serve either cold or slightly warm with cream but it’s just as good entirely on its own.For a spicy kick, replace the coffee with candied ginger and a teaspoon of ground ginger.
Keyword chocolate pear cake, upside down pear cake