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Pear and Vanilla Entremet Style Cake

Nuts cake with a diplomate cream mixed with caramelized pears and burned brown sugar.
Print Recipe
Servings: 12
Course: cake, Dessert, Snack
Ingredients Method

Ingredients
  

Caramelised pears with vanilla:
  • 3 Pears
  • 30 g Butter
  • 40 g Sugar
  • 1 tsp Vanilla extract
Cake with almonds
  • 4 Egg yolks
  • 55 g Sugar
  • 70 g Egg whites (about 2,5)
  • 20 g Sugar (for the meringue)
  • 20 g All-purpose flour
  • 25 g Corn starch
  • 40 g Melted butter
  • 30 g Crushed almonds
Diplomate cream 
  • 170 ml Milk
  • 0,5 A vanilla bean or 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 4 Egg yolks
  • 40 g Sugar
  • 1 tbsp Corn starch
  • 35 g Honey
  • 3 Gelatine sheets About 5 to 6 grams
  • 200 ml Heavy Cream
Garnishing
  • 3 tbsp Brown sugar
  • Dried pear slices

Method
 

Prepare the Pears
  1. Slice the center parts of the pears with the stems if you want to use them for the garnish. ( if not, you can skip the next steps and start by cubing the pears.)
  2. Toast the pear slices on a non-stick pan until soft and aromatic.
  3. Place them on a silicone mat or parchment paper and bake for 15 min in a 180C / 356F preheated aven.
  4. Peel and cube the rest of the pears into small cubes.
  5. In a saucepan cook the sugar with the butter until they caramelize.
  6. Add the cubed pears and vanilla and allow them to simmer for 5 minutes until they are soft.
  7. Allow them to totally cool.
Prepare the cake.
  1. Beat the egg whites, when they start foaming, add the sugar gradually while mixing until you have a nice smooth french meringue.
  2. In a separate bowl, beat the egg yolks with the sugar until the mixture thickens and becomes pale.
  3. Gently fold the meringue into the egg yolks and sugar mixture.
  4. Sift in the flour and the corn starch and use a spatula to gently fold them. in.
  5. Take 2 tbsp from the batter and add them to the melted butter. Mix well until well combined.
  6. Add the butter mixture to the rest of the cake batter and gently fold it in.
  7. Finally, add the crushed almonds or nuts of choice and fold them in. You can add a pinch of salt if you prefer to, I do.
  8. Spread the batter into a circular tin or mold with 22cm / 8,6inches in diameter, make sure to line the bottom with some parchment paper.
  9. Bake in a 180C/ 356F preheated over for 20 to 22 minutes and allow to cool after baking.
Prepare the cream.
  1. Soak the gelatine sheets into cold water.
  2. Mix the egg yolks with the sugar and beat until the mixture thickens and turns pale.
  3. Sift in the corn starch and mix again to incorporate it.
  4. In a saucepan add the vanilla seeds and the half vanilla bean, honey and the milk.
  5. Mix together for the honey to dissolve and bring it to a simmer.
  6. Squeeze the gelatine sheets from the water and add them to the vanilla milk as soon as it starts simmering.
  7. Whisk together until it is melted then remove from the heat.
  8. Sieve the simmered milk gradually into the egg yolks and sugar mixture.
  9. Pour everything back into the saucepan and cook on medium heat while whisking until it thickens.
  10. Transfer to a clean bowl, cover with some foil, and allow it to totally cool.
  11. Whip the cold heavy cream until you have a nice airy cream, then gently fold it into the cooled custard cream.
  12. Use a hand mixer to have a creamy texture, then gently add the cubed pears to cream and use a spatula to fold them in.
Assembly
  1. Assemble the cake on a cake board or directly on the serving plate.
  2. Unmold the cake / biscuit, peel off the parchment paper, and use a bread knife to trim off the upper brown layer of the cake. (This is optional)
  3. Place the cake on the bottom, then add the cream with pears and use the back of the spoon to even it out and smooth the top.
  4. Refrigerate for 4 hours.
Garnishing
  1. Unmold the cake by removing the cake circle.
  2. Spread the brown sugar equally on the surface of the cake and use a torch to burn it and make a nice burned caramel layer.
  3. Brush the dried pears with some honey and lay them on the top of the cake.
  4. Happy baking and enjoy!