Cake aux poires, au chocolat et au rhum

That is a cake, said cake in French.

In a large bowl, put 250g of flour, 150g of sugar, salt (only a pinch) and a sachet of yeast (can get some in the Meal Shop, Rodgers& Rodgers, on South Street). Mix everything well so that it is about evenly proportioned. Then dig a well in the centre of the mixture.

Take 2 yolks (keeping the egg white aside for later use) and mix them with 0.1l of milk. Add the pears, rum and little bits of chocolate. Pour all of this in the well in the flour and start stirring until you there is no liquid left.
Melt 150g of butter and add carefully in the bowl (might have some weird things happening if the butter is too hot). Stir everything. Now take the egg whites and whip like for meringue (in snow). Add into the salad bowl and … stir again. Once everything is not quite solid but not that liquid either, pour into the cake pan (about 30cm by 5 cm) and put in a preheated oven at 160ºC for an hour and a quarter.

The cake is good when fresh but is also very nice after about a week or more waiting in the fridge which is very handy for parties as you can start preparations a week before and have less stress during the day.