Ingredients
Scale
POACHED PEAR
- 9 small perfectly ripe pears pealed ( with steams attached )
- 1 litre ginger beer
- 1 tbs crushed cardamon pods
- 60 g grated ginger
- 4 sticks cinnamon sticks
- 1 tbs vanilla bean paste
- 1 average sized lemon (cut in half)
CHOCOLATE CUPS
- 375 g good quality dark vegan chocolate
- 1/3 cup boiling water
- 1/2 tsp lemon essence or rose spirit
- Vegan gold dust
CHOCOLATE SAUCE FILLING
- 60 g good quality dark vegan chocolate
- 1/2 cup thick coconut cream
- 1/2 tsp vanilla bean paste
- Pinch of sea salt
GLUTEN FREE CAKE
- 65 g buckwheat flour
- 40 g walnut meal ((you can create this in the food processor))
- 120 g sugar
- 1 tbs cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 60 g vegetable shortening
- 250 g soy milk mixed with 1 tbs white vinegar
- 60 g cocoa powder
- 1 tbs vanilla bean paste
Instructions
- || LET’S POACH PEAR ||
- Place all ingredients in a large pot and bring to boil on the stove
- Turn down heat to a simmer and cook for 1 to 1 1/2 hours, keep on eye on the pears and gently turn them over once the liquid levels become low
- Once pears are soft remove and let drain. Leave the liquid in the pot
- Turn up heat slight and allow remaining liquid to bubble and become a runny toffee like liquid
- Remove from heat and drain, then coat pears in remaining liquid and let them drain again, set aside
- || LETS BAKE GLUTEN FREE CAKE! ||
- Preheat conventional oven 165°C/329F
- Grease a small muffin tin with 9-12 holes
- Melt shortening in small pot on stove, then take off heat
- In a blender add shortening + cocoa+ vanilla + milk/vinegar mix, blend together on low until completely combined and smooth
- In bowl of stand mixer with a paddle attachment, sieve flour + sugar + baking powder + salt + cinnamon and stir until evenly mixed
- Add liquid from blender to this bowl and mix on very low speed till combined
- Slowly trickle in boiling water along the side of the bowl while still mixing on very low speed
- Once water is mixed, scrape down the sides, mix again on low for a few seconds
- Pour into muffin cups filling only half way, bake 20 -25 mins, check with a toothpick through centre, if it comes out almost clean it’s ready but be careful not to over bake, even if you slightly under bake it’s better for gluten-free baking
- Cool in tin for 20 minutes, then flip on cake rake and let completely cool
- || LET’S MAKE CHOCOLATE SAUCE! ||
- Melt chocolate (don’t heat above 32C/89F)
- Pour coconut cream into a bowl and then pour chocolate and vanilla into cream and stir until combined, add salt to taste and set aside
- || LET’S MAKE CHOCOLATE CUPS! || (Optional)
- To make cups, use a chocolate ball mould 30x18cm, and a small circle mould for the base approx 4.5cm wide – large button moulds are great for this
- Temper chocolate and pour into 9 moulds, saving a small amount of chocolate for later and let set
- Once it’s set remove from mould by gently tapping on bench, they should fall out of the mould, if the edges of the chocolate are rigid, heat a fry pan and gently push a edges of the cup onto the heated surface and instantly remove. This should flatten the surface.
- Melt a tiny bit of chocolate and glue the half balls to the buttons to create a cup
- Mix a tiny amount of gold dust with a tiny amount of lemon essence to make a paint
- Brush cups with paint and set a side
- || HOW TO ASSEMBLE YOUR CUPS ||
- Trim the lids off the top of the cakes and set aside, cut them in one clean piece and keep
- Carve a small amount of cake out of the middle of the bottom pieces to create a well
- Pour a small amount of sauce into the bottom of the cups
- Press cake into cups to make sure they fit and trim if needed
- Pour sauce into the well and then cover with the lids and very gently push down into cups as far as they will go
- Place a pear on top of each cup and serve
- Prep Time: 1 hour
- Cook Time: 2 hours
- Cuisine: Dessert
Keywords: vegan, vegan baking, vegan cake, vegan cake filling, vegan chocolate
