Gâteau Fondant Aux Poires

I love Paris.

I especially love Pastries

And I'm joining Anita for her Simply Irresistible Paris Party!

Do you have a favorite Pâtisserie in Paris?

Would it be Ladurée for a macaron?

How about Pierre Hermé for some chocolat?

Or perhaps La Pâtisserie des Rêves for pastries?

Or stop by my favorite tea room.....

For some chocolat chaud:

Ah bien....we can't always travel to Paris, but we can dream can't we?  That's what Simply Irresistible Paris is all about. Take a bite of this lovely cake, close your eyes and think of Paris. Magnifique!


Gâteau Fondant Aux Poires

Ingredients:
3-4 small ripe pears, peeled, quartered and cubed
1 cup plus 1 1/2 tablespoons butter, at room temperature
zest of 1 lemon
1 1/4 cup sugar 
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
4 eggs, at room temperature
2 cups plus 1 1/2 tablespoons flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
a pinch of salt

Method:
Preheat oven to 350 F.
Grease a 9 1/2 inch spring pan (as you can see, I cut the recipe in half and used the smaller spring form pan)
In a stand mixer with the paddle attachment beat butter and sugar together until very fluffy and white. Mix in the eggs slowly, one egg at a time. Add vanilla and lemon zest.
In another bowl sift together flour, salt and baking powder. Add the flour mixture slowly to the egg mixture. Don't over mix.
Pour half of the batter into the spring pan. Place the pears on top. Pour the rest of the batter in the pan.
Bake for about 60 min or until a tooth pick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean.
Dust with powdered sugar before serving.

(Recipe adapted from Kirsten at My Kitchen in the Rockies)