FANCY CHOCOLATE AND PEAR CAKE WITH MARSHMALLOW TOPPING

Don’t bake this cake for too long – the texture should be similar to that of a brownie. MAKES 1 LARGE CAKE Preparation: 25 min Baking: 30-40 min 200g stoneground

cake flour 60g cocoa powder 2,5ml (½t)

bicarbonate of soda 5ml (1t) baking powder 2,5 ml (½t) salt 40g brown sugar 30g each xylitol

and stevia 3 eggs 180ml (¾c) olive and

seed oil blend 300g pears, grated 50g walnuts or pecan

nuts, chopped 100g dark chocolate

(70% cocoa), melted TOPPING 3 egg whites 180ml (¾c) xylitol pinch of cream of

tartar roasted pear slices

(see recipe below) Preheat the oven to 180°C. Grease a 23cm springform tin with nonstick spray and dust with flour. 1 Sift the dry ingredients together, then mix in the two kinds of sweetener. 2 Whisk the eggs and oil together, then add the grated pears and whisk to combine. Add the dry ingredients and mix. 3 Fold the nuts and chocolate alternately into the egg mixture. 4 Spoon the batter into the prepared baking tin and bake for 30-40 minutes or until just done – it should still be wobbly in the middle. Allow to cool. 5 Topping Put the egg whites, sweetener and cream of tartar in a glass bowl over a saucepan filled with hot water. Stirring continuously, heat for 3 minutes until warm and the sweetener has dissolved. 6 Remove from the heat and beat with an electric beater until light and smooth. Spoon dollops of marshmallow on the cake and scorch lightly with a blowtorch. 7 Decorate with roasted pear slices. TO ROAST PEAR SLICES Sprinkle a little icing sugar over thin pear slices. Roast at 180°C for about 10 minutes – the pears should be lightly caramelised.