Recipe Review: Pear Chestnut Cake

Introduction

This is a fantastic fall cake. It’s relatively straight-forward and doesn’t require too much technical work aside from paying close attention to certain indicators. If pears are in season, then give this recipe a try! Note that many of the ingredients in this recipe can be substituted for – including the chestnuts and type of pears. See the linked video for more details (and a rare full baking video from Dessert Person).

Recipe Outline

Recipe: Pear Chestnut Cake	Special Equipment: 9 or 10 Inch Springform Pan, Stand Mixer
Source: Dessert Person	Time: 3 Hours
Author: Claire Saffitz	Difficulty: 2/5
Type: Dessert (Baking)	Score: ★★★★☆

Preparing The Pairs

Tip: The firms should be firm-ripe. Claire explains this in the recipe video, but it basically means a pear that can be pressed-in slightly, but not significantly (there should be a slight amount of give). Bartlett and Comice pears work well.

Making The Batter

Baking The Cake

Tip: In the linked video Claire uses parchment paper but not in the written instructions. Simply add a circular layer of parchment paper on the bottom of the prepared pan (but not yet sugared) and then butter the parchment paper top as well.

Final Product

Key Takeaways

• If you have fresh pears, this is the recipe to make!
• The chestnuts leave some crunchy bits in the cake, so be careful!
• Final Score: 4/5 – This is an excellent cake and one of the few where the fruit is really the star. Only make this cake when you have fresh, in-season pears.