Hello friends – welcome to the Get Your Chef On Cooking Challenge, where 26 bloggers (including yours truly) will be sharing recipes featuring a secret ingredient – PEARS!
The co-hosts and judges for the contest are Jen from Four Marrs and One Venus and Julie from White Lights On Wednesday.
For this challenge, I created a Chocolate Pear Torte, which combines the flourless, cake-like qualities of a torte and the fruity ingredients of a tart in one delicious dessert!
This was the first time I’ve made a flourless cake and my family loved it! The torte tastes lighter than a brownie but denser than a traditional cake, with a nice balanced blend of flavors. One thing that my husband particularly liked about this dessert was that it wasn’t too rich – the nuts and pears nicely balanced out the chocolate and jelly!
The 4-inch serving size makes this perfect for individuals and romantic couples.
Chocolate Pear Torte
Torte Ingredients
8 Tablespoons (1 Stick) Unsalted Butter, Room Temperature, Plus Extra For Pan
1 Cup Whole Blanched Almonds
3/4 Cup Sugar
3 Large Eggs
1/3 Cup Unsweetened Cocoa Powder
1 Teaspoon Pure Vanilla Extract
1/2 Teaspoon Salt
1/4 Teaspoon Almond Extract (Optional)
3 Firm, Ripe Bartlett Pears
1/2 Lemon
5 Tablespoons Apple Jelly Or Peach Jelly
Glaze Ingredients (Optional)
1/4 Cup Confectioners Sugar
2 to 3 Tablespoons Of Heavy Cream
Instructions
1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
2. Brush six, 4-inch removable-bottom tart pans with butter; set aside.
3. In a blender, combine the almonds and sugar; process until very finely ground.
4. In the bowl of an electric mixer with the paddle attachment, combine the butter, eggs, cocoa, vanilla, salt, almond extract, nuts and sugar. Mix until thoroughly combined.
5. Divide the mixture evenly in the prepared pans and spread by tapping on the sides.
6. Peel, halve, and core the pears. Cut the pears lengthwise into thin slices, rubbing them with lemon as you work (to prevent discoloration). Arrange the pear slices on the chocolate mixture as desired without pressing in.
7. Place the pans on a baking sheet. Bake until the tops are puffed and a toothpick inserted into the center of the chocolate mixture comes out with only a few moist crumbs attached (approximately 30 minutes). Cool completely in the pan.
8. Briefly heat jelly in the microwave or on the stove until liquefied. Gently brush the pears with jelly and let set, at least 20 minutes. Remove tortes from pans. Serve as is (Feature Photo 2), or dress it up with a decorative glaze (Feature Photo 1).
Glaze Instructions
Combine the glaze ingredients in a small bowl until smooth, adding a little bit of cream at a time until the desired consistency is reached.
Twitter: KentuckyGal
says:
I’m glad I read the recipe, cause I was going to have to say your pears looked an awful lot like peaches! In any case, they look DELISH! Yet another recipe for us to try. I might actually have some FUN in the kitchen this year! *LOL*
Twitter: CreateWithJoy1
says:
I know – they really ARE hand-sliced pears, but I ended up using a peach jelly (instead of an apple jelly, which my store was out of) in the recipe – which gave it them the yellow color!
I am hoping to get back to sharing some recipes again, now that my kitchen is finally up and running!
Now that all looks delicious I want some now LOL
Twitter: CreateWithJoy1
says:
Thanks Steve! I’ll be sure to save you a piece in the next batch! 🙂
Well, that looks delicious! Stopping by from Aloha Friday and I am now your newest follower. I look forward to a long blog relationship with you and can’t wait to see what you come up with next!
xx
Serena
http://www.theserenasaga.com
Twitter: CreateWithJoy1
says:
Welcome Serena and Happy Anniversary – I am so happy to meet you and look forward to getting to know you! 🙂
Yum! All these pear desserts look beautiful AND delicious! Thanks for sharing!
Twitter: CreateWithJoy1
says:
Thanks for visiting Brittany! Can’t wait to see what you made for the challenge !:-)
WOW! How great is this? I am loving this dish! Thank you for cooking with us– and sharing this!
-Jen
Twitter: CreateWithJoy1
says:
Thank you for co-hosting Jen – I was SO excited to come across your blog and this challenge! 🙂
These look beautiful. Chocolate and pears….yum!
I’m your newest follower via g+. Please come visit me over at My Sesame Seed Buns sometime!
I love that you made individual tortes. Your recipe sounds delicious, of course, I luv chocolate so this is just perfect.
Thanks so much for sharing.
Joanne/Winelady Cooks
Twitter: _eHope
says:
drooooling…:)
I am going to totally try this! It looks really tasty.
Trina
Twitter: CreateWithJoy1
says:
Thanks Maggie – hope you like it as much as we did! 🙂
Beautiful! These would be perfect Valentine’s day desserts.
Pears AND chocolate?? Great job and it looks wonderful! So glad you are part of the GYCO challenge too! 🙂 Claire
Twitter: CreateWithJoy1
says:
Delighted to meet you Claire – love what you made for the challenge!
Hi, found your blog on GYB, already follow you on FB. This recipe looks great. Pinning for later!
Dawn
http://spatulasonparade.blogspot.com
Hi! Yum-O! This looks appealing!
I saw you linked up at the Grow Your Blog link party. I am following you on facebook and invite you to follow me back!
Beth @ The First Year Blog
Hi Ramona,
Your Chocolate Pear Torte looks fantastic! Hope you have a great weekend and thanks for sharing your tasty recipe with Full Plate Thursday.
Come Back Soon!
Miz Helen
That looks sinfully delish! Stopping by from Pin Me, stop by if you get a moment Running Away? I’ll Help You Pack!
Twitter: goaskkatie
says:
the perfect dessert, yum! Thank you for sharing at the Thursday Favorite Things hop xo
Stopping by from SITS Sharefest! Your cake looks delish.
I would love that. I am a fan of anything chocolate.
Twitter: FreeStyleMama
says:
I finally figured out why I am seeing so many pear recipes!! This looks GREAT!!! Good luck!!
Twitter: CreateWithJoy1
says:
LOL – that’s funny Diana!
Yes, chances are, when a proliferation of similarly-themed ingredients start showing up across the blogosphere –
there’s a reason! 🙂
Thanks so much for the complement! I wasn’t the winner this time round but that’s ok –
I thought everyone did a fantastic job (and I loved the winning recipe!)
This looks so incredibly delicious! Wow! 🙂 Thanks for linking up with “Try a New Recipe Tuesday!” I can’t wait to see what you share this week.
Twitter: lifeonlakeshore
says:
These look amazing! Thank you so much for sharing at A Bouquet of Talent this week. I can’t wait to try this one. Have a wonderful weekend. 🙂
Hugs
Kathy
This looks so very yummy! I love pears and chocolate, so clearly it is perfect for me.
I am a new visitor! I spent time reading your recipes! love them. I hope you share with my readers every week- http://atozebracelebrations.com/2013/03/link-party-10.html
Nancy
Twitter: CreateWithJoy1
says:
Welcome Nancy – so glad you’re here!
Sounds yummy!
Almost too pretty eat! Thanks for sharing!
Twitter: CreateWithJoy1
says:
That’s why I always take a picture first! 🙂
Yum! These look delicious! Thanks for sharing. Stopping by for the first time from SITS share fest.
Twitter: CreateWithJoy1
says:
Hope to see you again soon!
Thank you for all these recipes.
I am adding them to my online Plan To Eat plan.
Twitter: CreateWithJoy1
says:
Awesome Michelle – enjoy! 🙂
That looks awesome! I’ve never made a torte
What a beautiful dessert. I love chocolate and pear. Pinned!
Thanks so much for sharing your awesome post with us at Full Plate Thursday, 571. Hope you will come back to see us real soon!
Miz Helen