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Hazelnut Pear Cake

Name: Hazelnut Pear Cake
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 55 min
Total time: 1 h 25 min
Yield: 16 servings.
Ingredients: 1-1/2 cups whole hazelnuts, toasted and skins removed; 1 cup unsalted butter, softened; 2 cups sugar; 4 large eggs, room temperature; 2 teaspoons vanilla extract; 1 teaspoon almond extract; 2-1/2 cups all-purpose flour; 1/2 teaspoon salt; 1/2 teaspoon baking soda; 1 cup ricotta cheese; 3 ripe medium pears, peeled and chopped (about 2 cups); BROWNED BUTTER GLAZE:; 1/2 cup butter, cubed; 3 tablespoons 2% milk; 1 teaspoon vanilla extract; 1-3/4 to 2 cups confectioners' sugar

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Total Time

Prep: 30 min. Bake: 55 min. + cooling

Makes

16 servings

From the hazelnuts to the yummy browned butter glaze, this dessert is a little different from an everyday pound cake. —Elisabeth Larsen, Pleasant Grove, Utah

Hazelnut Pear Cake Recipe photo by Taste of Home

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Ingredients

1-1/2 cups whole hazelnuts, toasted and skins removed
1 cup unsalted butter, softened
2 cups sugar
4 large eggs, room temperature
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 teaspoon almond extract
2-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup ricotta cheese
3 ripe medium pears, peeled and chopped (about 2 cups)
BROWNED BUTTER GLAZE:
1/2 cup butter, cubed
3 tablespoons 2% milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1-3/4 to 2 cups confectioners' sugar

Directions

Preheat oven to 350°. Grease and flour a 10-in. fluted tube pan. Chop 1 cup hazelnuts. Place remaining hazelnuts in a food processor; pulse until finely ground.
In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy, 5-7 minutes. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in extracts.
In another bowl, whisk flour, salt, baking soda and ground hazelnuts; add to creamed mixture alternately with ricotta cheese, beating after each addition just until combined. Fold in pears and chopped hazelnuts.
Transfer batter to prepared pan. Bake 55-65 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pan 10 minutes before removing to a wire rack to cool completely.
For glaze, in a small heavy saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Heat 5-7 minutes or until golden brown, stirring constantly. Transfer to a bowl. Stir in milk, vanilla and enough confectioners' sugar to reach desired consistency. Drizzle over cooled cake.

Editor’s Note: To toast whole hazelnuts, spread hazelnuts in a 15x10x1-in. baking pan. Bake in a 350° oven 7-10 minutes or until fragrant and lightly browned, stirring occasionally. To remove skins, wrap hazelnuts in a tea towel; rub with towel to loosen skins.

Greasing Fluted (Bundt) Tube Pans

To remove cakes easily, use solid shortening to grease plain and fluted tube pans.

Nutrition Facts

1 slice: 533 calories, 30g fat (13g saturated fat), 104mg cholesterol, 193mg sodium, 62g carbohydrate (42g sugars, 3g fiber), 8g protein.

Hazelnut Pear Cake

Ingredients

Directions

Nutrition Facts

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