Hazelnuts and pears are the unlikely duo that was meant to come together. The rich, buttery crunch of toasted hazelnuts beautifully complements the juicy, tender sweetness of pears, creating a balance that is both unexpected and irresistible
Ingredients:
- 1-1/2 cups whole hazelnuts toasted without skins
- 1 cup butter, softened
- 2 cups of sugar
- 4 large eggs and room temperature
- 2 teaspoons of vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon of 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)
Ingredients For Brown Butter Glaze:
- 1/2 cup cubed butter
- 3 tablespoons of milk
- 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
- 1-3/4 to 2 cups of powdered sugar
Instructions:
- Preheat the oven to 350, and grease and flour a 10-inch fulted tube pan. Chop 1 cup of hazelnuts, and place remaining nuts into 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 egg. Beat in extracts.
- In another bowl, whisk flour, salt, baking soda, and ground hazelnuts. Add to creamed mixture with ricotta cheese, beating after each addition until just combined. Fold in pears and the remaining chopped nuts.
- Transfer batter to the prepared pan. Bake for 55-65 minutes. Use a toothpick to check that it comes out clean. Cool in pan for 10 minutes and then remove to a wire rack and let cool.
- For the glaze, in a small saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Heat 5-7 minutes or until golden brown, stirring constantly. Transfer to a bowl, stir in milk, vanilla, and enough powdered sugar to reach desired consistency. Drizzle over cooled cake, and enjoy!
