How beautiful are mini cakes!!!! Whether prepared for breakfast or snack, or made to be given for special occasions, you just can’t resist their charm! Mini cakes, cute in appearance and full of quality and taste inside. They are truly a good way to start the day and, if you, like me, can’t stop at just one slice when faced with a cake, this “mini” version is for you! In fact, I warn you, it’s addictive, but a few slices and it’s gone! That’s the beauty! Basically, it allows us to fully satisfy our craving to eat a sweet at all costs, without overdoing it! Often, we search for sweet things more out of greed than true need, but with mini cakes, this risk is avoided! Not to mention the cost, which is decidedly negligible, considering the much-reduced amounts compared to a medium-sized cake, as well as the ease in decorating, glazing, etc. In short, the advantages await you, what are you waiting for?
- Difficulty: Very Easy
- Cost: Economical
- Preparation time: 25 Minutes
- Portions: 6/7
- Cooking methods: Electric Oven
- Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients for an 18 cm Ø pan:
- 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 3.5 oz dark chocolate
- 1 large Williams pear
- 1/3 cup brown sugar
- 1/3 cup milk
- 2 eggs
- 5.5 tbsp butter + extra for greasing the pan
- 2 tbsp white Vermouth
- 1 1/2 lemon juice
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1.4 oz chopped walnuts + about ten whole for garnish
- as needed powdered sugar
- 1 pinch salt
Preparation:
Start by washing the pear, peel it and cut it, after removing the core and seeds, half into chunks and the rest into thin slices, then immediately drizzle everything with lemon juice (fig. 1).
In a saucepan, melt the chocolate in a double boiler with half of the butter (fig. 2).
Then remove from heat and let cool. In the meantime, separate the yolks from the whites. Whip the whites to stiff peaks with a pinch of salt (fig. 3).
Separately, beat the remaining butter with the sugar until you obtain a creamy mixture (fig. 4).
Incorporate the eggs, one at a time and strictly at room temperature, and pour in the white Vermouth. Mix the sifted flour, baking powder, and cinnamon and blend them with the rest. Also incorporate the cooled butter and chocolate mixture, then the milk, chopped walnuts, and pear chunks (fig. 5).
Finally, fold in the beaten egg whites, half at a time, stirring with a spatula, and pour the mixture into a previously buttered and floured springform pan. Level it and distribute the pear slices on top (fig. 6).
Before baking, also garnish with some whole walnut halves (fig. 7).
Place in a preheated oven at 350°F (180°C) for about 40 minutes, but the toothpick test will be the true indicator. After the cooking time has elapsed, remove the cake from the pan and place it on a wire rack to cool completely at room temperature. Unmold and serve with a dusting of powdered sugar.
And voila… your mini pear, chocolate, and walnut cake is ready to be enjoyed!
Enjoy from FeFè’s Kitchen!
