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Pear, pecan and chocolate cake

Pear Pecan & Chocolate Cake
This is a very simple cake to make in the food processor. Packed with fresh fruit, nuts and dark chocolate, it is delicious served warm as a dessert with crème fraîche, but is just as good served cold as a tea-time treat.
Ingredients:

150g/5oz plain flour
1 tsp baking powder
150g/5oz caster sugar
pinch of salt
150g/5oz softened butter
3 medium eggs
175g/6oz plain chocolate, chopped into small pieces
2 ripe but firm dessert pears, peeled, cored and diced
115g/4oz shelled pecan nuts, roughly chopped
1 orange, zest, finely chopped

Method:

  1. Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F/Gas Mark 4. Grease and flour a 22x11x5cm/ 8x41x2 inch loaf tin.
  2. Put the flour, baking powder, sugar, salt, butter and eggs into a food processor and blend for 1 minute until smooth.
  3. Transfer the mixture to a mixing bowl and stir in the chocolate, prepared pear, pecan nuts and orange zest.
  4. Spoon the mixture into the prepared tin and bake in the centre of the oven for 50-60 mins, covering it loosely with a piece of foil if it starts to brown too quickly. The cake is ready when a skewer comes out clean.
  5. Remove from the oven and leave to cool in the tin for 5 minutes.
  6. Remove the cake from the tin and cut into thick slices.
  7. Serve warm, with crème fraîche, or leave until cold.
If you are interested in gardening or cooking why not check out the residential courses available at the WI's Denman College? Courses run for 2,3 and 4 days and the college is open also to non-members.