caramel pear torte recipe

You know how people go through with phases with books, movies, boyfriends, girlfriends and such? Well I’m going through a comfort food phase, so if anyone knows of how to make cake in a crock pot, let me know.

For now my latest comfort dessert is this rustic caramel pear torte. I’ll admit it does take an extra ten minutes to arrange the pear slices in the circular pattern. But to save some time you can always just throw the sliced pears in the bottom of the pan then pour the batter over it. The torte will taste the same either way— although as we all know, pretty foods always taste better.

Caramel Pear Torte

Caramel Sauce

· 1 cupsugar
· 1/3 cupheavy cream

Cake

· 4bosc pears, peeled, cored and thinly sliced
· 1/3 cupsour cream
· ¼ teaspoonbaking soda
· ¼ cupalmond meal
· 1½ cupflour
· 1 ½ teaspoonbaking powder
· ¼ teaspoon groundginger
· ½ teaspooncinnamon
· ½ cuplight brown sugar
· ¼ cupgranulated sugar
· 2 largeeggs
· ½ cupbutter, melted and cooled

Instructions:

1. Starting on the outer edge of the cake pan, place pear slices in a circle with each one just overlapping. Trim edge of pear as needed to fit pan and continue towards the middle until the bottom of the pan is covered.

2. To make the caramel sauce: Place sugar in a heavy saucepan over medium low heat. As the sugar heats up, the edges and bottoms will melt first. Using the handle of the pan, swirl and tilt it to promote further melting. Once the sugar has turned deep amber (385 degrees F) slowly whisk in the heavy cream. The mixture will violently bubble but will subside quickly as you whisk. Turn off stove and remove pan from heat. Immediately pour caramel sauce over pears.

3. Place sour cream and baking soda in a bowl and mix to combine; set aside. In separate bowl sift almond meal, flour, baking powder, ginger and cinnamon; set aside.

4. Whisk brown and white sugar with eggs until thick. Slowly add in melted butter, and whisk to combine. Change out whisk for a sturdy spatula or wooden spoon and fold in sour cream mixture until combined. Add in flour mixture and fold to combine. Pour batter over pears and caramel sauce. Smooth out batter to an even layer. Bake for about 35-45 minutes or until inserted toothpick or cake tester comes out clean. Invert the torte onto a plate and cool on a rack.

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