Darren Purchese's Chocolate, Pear & Hazelnut Cake

For a tasty showstopper without the fuss, Darren Purchese's Chocolate, Pear & Hazelnut Cake (RECIPE BELOW). It’s perfect if you’re after a gluten-free treat. Feel free to use canned pears or a tub of pear slices instead of making the poached pears.
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Chocolate, Pear & Hazelnut Cake

Makes one 20-22cm diameter cake
Prep time - 10 minutes
Cook time – 30-35 minutes

4 Coles Australian Free Range Egg whites
135g caster sugar
150g dark chocolate
75g unsalted butter
4 Coles Australian Free Range Egg yolks
60g hazelnut meal
60g rice flour
40g hazelnuts, lightly toasted, chopped
2 poached pears, sliced, or 695g tub Coles Pear Slices in Juice, drained
Quince jelly or apricot jam, for brushing
Pouring (pure) cream, for serving

1. Preheat the oven to 170°C and grease a 20-22cm (base measurement) non-stick springform cake pan. Line the base and side of the pan with baking paper.
2. Use an electric mixer to whisk the egg whites in a bowl until stiff meringue and add the sugar in 3 batches, whisking the sugar in well. Reserve the meringue on the bench.
3. Place the chocolate and butter in a heatproof bowl. Cook in the microwave on high, stirring every 30 seconds, until the chocolate and butter melt and the mixture is well combined.
4. Stir the egg yolks into the chocolate mixture. Add the hazelnut meal and rice flour. Mix well (it will thicken and look separated). Mix in the chopped hazelnuts.
5. Fold the meringue into the chocolate mix in 2 batches (you don’t have to be too gentle, just mix it well).
6. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and arrange pear slices on top.
7. Bake in the oven for 30 minutes or until cooked through and a crust has formed on top. You want the centre of this cake still a bit moist, as it will go fudgy once cooled. A crust will have formed on top of the cake.
8. Remove the cake from the oven and gently brush the surface with the jam or quince paste. Allow it to cool in the pan before transferring to a serving platter. Serve with pouring cream.

Poached Pears
Prep time - 10 minutes
Cooking time - 15 minutes

2 pears
150g caster sugar
500ml water
1 vanilla pod, seeds scraped
½ lemon, zested, juiced
1. Peel the pears and remove the core using a melon baller.
2. Place the sugar, water, vanilla and lemon zest and juice into a medium saucepan and heat to a boil to dissolve the sugar.
3. Add the pears and reduce heat to low to simmer. Cook for 10-15 minutes or until the pears are soft enough for you to insert a sharp knife into the flesh. Turn the heat off and allow them to cool in the syrup.

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