Pear and pecan cake
Pears are definitely amongst my favorite fruits of the season, and I have been eating a bunch of them lately. I wanted to incorporate them into a soft and moist cake that would have a strong winter feel, so here it is! This cake features a pecan (or walnut) and Biscoff cookie crust, and a moist almond and pear filling and is the perfect winter treat. Arnaud loved it, even though he usually doesn’t like pears very much. This recipe is also available in gluten-free and dairy-free versions so you’ll be able to share it with everyone you love!
Makes one cake:
NB: I used a cheesecake pan because it is easier to unmold, but a deep pie pan could also work too.
For the pecan crust:
- About 15 Speculoos (Biscoff) cookies OR shortbread cookies (or similar gluten-free or dairy-free cookies of your choice)
- 1 cup (120gr) pecans or walnuts
- 2 tbsp plain cream cheese, or butter (or coconut oil for example for a dairy-free version)
For the pear almond filling :
- 1 cup (100gr) almond meal
- ¼ cup (30gr) flour of your choice (I used white rice flour)
- 1 pinch of salt
- 1 tsp almond OR vanilla extract
- ½ cup (120ml) heavy cream (or coconut milk for a dairy-free version)
- ⅓ cup (80ml) honey (or maple syrup, or about ½ cup <100gr> brown sugar)
- 2 eggs
- 2 large pears, peeled and thinly sliced
Make the crust: in a food processor, pulse the cookies and pecans together into very small chunks (it must not turn into a powder). Add in the cream cheese or butter, then pulse again for a few seconds until everything is combined. Pour the mixture (it should looks like wet sand) into a greased cheesecake pan or a pie pan covered with parchment paper, and firmly press (with your fingers or a spatula) into a thick layer at the bottom of the pan.
Make the filling: in a large bowl, blend liquid ingredients together (vanilla or almond extract, heavy cream, honey, and eggs), then add in almond meal, flour, and a pinch of salt, mixing well between each addition.
Pour this mixture on the crust, then smooth the top with a spatula. Arrange pear slices on top of the mixture, pressing them with your fingers to make them get into the almond mixture. Bake in the preheated oven (390°F-200°C) for about 25-30′, making sure the center is set but the edges don’t burn.
Enjoy still slightly warm or cold. This cake keeps well in the fridge.
