Gluten-Free Pear Cake

Who says gluten-free recipes can't be tender and juicy? The pear cake before you, besides easy, tender and juicy is gluten-free. To achieve this marvel you only need one “secret” ingredient: gluten-free polenta (yellow cornmeal).

As you may know, polenta can be used to make many dishes, like the typical Italian polenta "concia" that is baked in a tray and then cut into portions; or the savory, which is my favorite savory version, since it turns into a kind of porridge or puree perfect to accompany any meat or fish dish...

This sweet version is perfect for those intolerant or allergic to gluten, since it doesn't contain wheat flour, only "gluten-free" polenta. I emphasize that it should be gluten-free polenta because although polenta is cornmeal, not all brands are free of gluten — it's very important that the package shows the symbol or simply specifies "sin gluten" or "gluten free"; if you don't have any intolerance or allergy you can buy any brand.

If you like extra moist and juicy cakes you'll love this one. The pear makes the cake super moist as if it had some kind of syrup and together with the polenta and almond it has a spectacular texture. It's also so easy to make you'll bake it all the time. This moist interior contrasts with its crunchy exterior. Also, baking it in a ceramic mold like the Emile Henry one makes the baking even more spectacular, as its exterior texture becomes even crispier.

Emile Henry ceramic mold, Pallarès knives and T&G wooden spatula

Ingredients

• 200 g butter at room temperature
• 200 g brown sugar
• Juice and zest of 1 orange
• 3 large eggs
• 200 g ground almonds
• 200 g instant gluten-free polenta
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 3 ripe but still firm pears

KitchenAid food processor, Emile Henry ceramic mold, Pallarès knives and T&G wooden spatula

Preparation

1. Preheat the oven to 180 ºC top and bottom heat with the rack in the middle. Grease a mold and place parchment paper (optional) on the bottom of the mold.
2. With the help of the KitchenAid mixer, beat the butter together with the sugar until you get a soft, fluffy batter. Add the juice, zest, beaten eggs and almond. Beat until combined.
3. Add the polenta together with the baking powder and beat everything until you obtain a smooth, uniform mixture.
4. Pour the batter into the mold, smooth the surface and arrange the pears as follows: cut the pears in half from the stem; remove the seeds with a Parisian spoon; slice the pears very thinly vertically from the stem without cutting all the way to the end so the pear remains attached at the tip. Finally, place the pears in the mold opening them slightly as if they were a fan.
5. Bake in the center of the oven for 40 minutes or until cooked and a skewer comes out clean when inserted. Finally, let cool on a rack.

Suggestion: Sprinkle with powdered sugar and serve warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.

KitchenAid food processor, Emile Henry ceramic mold and T&G wooden spatula