PEAR CHOCOLATE RECIPES

Steps:

• Cut a circle of baking parchment to fit the base of a 25cm loose-bottomed tin. Melt 1 tbsp butter and brush the inside of the tin, then line the base with the parchment and brush again with more butter. Spoon in 2 tbsp caster sugar, swirl it around to coat the base and sides, then tip out any excess.
• Heat oven to 180C/fan 160C/gas 4. Melt the chocolate and butter in a bowl over a pan of hot water, remove from the heat, stir in the brandy and leave to cool. Whisk the egg yolks with the sugar in a large bowl until pale and thick; fold into the chocolate with the hazelnuts.
• In a separate bowl, with a clean whisk, beat the whites until they reach a soft peak (try not to whisk them too stiffly or you’ll have trouble folding them in). Stir a spoonful of the whites into the chocolate mix, then carefully fold in the rest of them in 2 additions. Spoon into the prepared tin. Level, then arrange the pears over the mixture, cut-side down. Bake for 40 mins until the pears are soft and the cake is cooked all the way through. Leave to cool in the tin slightly before releasing it, then place on a rack to cool completely. Dust with icing sugar and serve with crème fraîche.

Steps:

• Heat oven to 180C/fan 160C/gas 4. Grease a 20cm cake tin and line the bottom with a circle of greaseproof paper.
• If you want to make life easy, simply put 225g butter, 225g caster sugar, 4 eggs, 225g self-raising flour, 3 tbsp milk and 1 tsp vanilla extract into a food processor and whizz for 1-2 mins until smooth.
• If you prefer to mix by hand, beat 225g butter and 225g caster sugar together, then add 4 eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition.
• Fold through 225g self-raising flour, 3 tbsp milk and 1 tsp vanilla extract until the mixture is smooth.
• Divide the mixture between 2 bowls. Stir 2 tbsp cocoa powder into the mixture in one of the bowls. Take 2 spoons and use them to dollop the chocolate and vanilla cake mixes into the tin alternately.
• When all the mixture has been used up (and if young kids are doing this, you’ll need to ensure the base of the tin is fairly evenly covered), tap the bottom on your work surface to ensure that there aren’t any air bubbles.
• Take a skewer and swirl it around the mixture in the tin a few times to create a marbled effect.
• Bake the cake for 45-55 mins until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. Turn out onto a cooling rack and leave to cool. Will keep for 3 days in an airtight container or freeze for up to 3 months.