My gluten-free chocolate almond pear cake is a melt-in-your-mouth flourless chocolate cake topped with thin slices of juicy pear.
Grab fresh pears when you see them and don’t worry about how you’re going to use them ~ that’s what I’m here for. Pears are like blood oranges or rhubarb ~ they aren’t always available, and you’ve got to grab them when you can. I think you’ll love this gluten free chocolate almond pear cake, it’s wonderfully moist and delicious, sort of a cross between my Almond Pear Tart and my Flourless Chocolate Meringue Cake!
flourless chocolate almond cake highlights
- Light, not too sweet, European-style cake
- Whipped egg whites give it its rise.
- Ground almonds (almond flour) give the cake structure and richness. They also keep the crumb tender and slightly fudgy, which pairs beautifully with both dark chocolate and juicy pears.
- Use finely ground almond flour (not almond meal) for the best texture.
- Chocolate is the star ~ use a good-quality semisweet or dark chocolate for balance.
the pan
- You’ll need a 10-inch round pan for this meringue cake.
- The cake won’t cook evenly in a 9-inch pan.
- To measure a pan, measure from outside edge to outside edge.
- I’ve made it in a springform cheesecake pan, and in a tart pan
- The important thing is that it has a removable bottom so you can release the sides for easy slicing and serving. This cake is incredibly moist and delicate, so turning it out of the pan is out of the question.
- You could bake it in a 10-inch regular pie plate or cast iron skillet; just plan on serving it from the pan.
the bottom line
This isn’t a precision cake ~ it’s rustic and a little dramatic. But if rich chocolate, almonds, and a soft, melting interior are your thing, it’s a very happy trade-off.
I never order dessert in restaurants ~ I’ve been disappointed too many times. But if I were served this, I would be thrilled.
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Gluten Free Chocolate Almond Pear Cake
Equipment
- 10" springform pan or tart pan with removable bottom.
Ingredients
- 7 oz semisweet chocolate, or about 1 1/4 cup
- 2/3 cup salted butter, or about 11 Tbsp
- 4 large eggs, separated
- 1 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 cup almond flour
- 1 tsp almond extract
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 3 pears, ripe, but firm
Instructions
- Grease and flour a 10-inch springform pan or tart pan with a removeable bottom. Preheat oven to 350°F
- Put the chocolate and butter in a microwave safe bowl and microwave for one minute. Stir to melt everything together. If necessary microwave another 10-15 seconds to finish melting. Do not over heat.
- Add the egg yolks one at a time, while stirring vigorously to break each one up.. Stir in cocoa powder, almond flour, and almond extract.
- Whip the egg whites with a mixer until foamy, then gradually add the sugar and continue whipping until soft peaks form. Gently fold the chocolate mixture into the egg whites, until no white streaks remain..
- Turn the batter into your prepared pan and spread out gently.
- Peel the pears and slice 2 'cheeks' off each one, then thinly slice (but keep them together). Arrange each cheek on the cake batter in a ring. No need to press down.
- Bake for 35-40 minutes. The top will be matte and the center may feel a bit wobbly. This cake is like a soufflé or brownie and normal methods of determining doneness do not work. If you do use a toothpick, expect very moist crumbs.
- Let cool before carefully removing the sides of the pan. You may want to loosen any stuck edges with a thin offset spatula first. Note the cake will puff up in the oven and sink down slightly as it cools, this is normal.
- Store the cake at room temp or in the fridge. Consume within 3-4 days. I don't recommend freezing.
Notes
Nutrition
more gluten free desserts
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My Flourless Tangerine Cake is made with whole tangerines and almond flour in the Italian tradition ~ it's impossibly moist and bursting with citrus flavor, like biting into a fresh tangerine!
