Carrot cake with pears

The calculation is for a 20 cm | 8 inch mold.

First, let’s cook the pear layer for the cake.

1. Prepare 2 molds with a diameter of 18 cm (7 inch). You better take a ring mold and tighten the bottom with the cling film. Pour the gelatin with the cold water. Dissolve the gelatin in the microwave with short impulses, or heat it in a water bath until it is completely dissolved in water, never boil the gelatin!
2. Wash the pears, and remove the core. Cut the pears into small pieces. Melt the butter in a skillet or a wide saucepan with a heavy bottom.
3. Add the pears to the pan and cook for a minute, add the sugar, stir and cook until the sugar is completely dissolved.
4. Turn off the heat.
5. Add 1 tsp of cinnamon and the gelatin mass.
6. Stir and let it cool slightly.
7. Place the mold on a baking sheet, which can later be placed in the freezer.
8. After that, put the pears in molds, and cover them with the resulting syrup so that the syrup covers the pears. Place the pear layers in the freezer to solidify completely.

Cook the carrot cakes with the salted nuts.

1. Peel and grate the carrots.
2. You better grate the carrots on a fine grater, it will give the desired color to the cakes.
3. Chop and fry the nuts in a dry frying pan.
4. Pour the hot nuts into a small bowl and while the nuts are still hot, add the butter and 1 teaspoon of salt, stir everything well.
5. Whip 4 eggs into a fluffy dense mass in a mixer bowl, gradually adding the sugar.
6. Mix the flour with 1 teaspoon of baking powder and 1 teaspoon of baking soda; mix and sift. Add the vegetable oil (don’t stop whipping!).
7. Add the flour to the dough.
8. Add the grated carrots. Remove the zest from the orange and add it to the dough.
9. Next, squeeze the juice from the orange and pour it into the dough, mix well. At the end, add the nuts.
10. Grease the baking molds with butter and sprinkle them with the flour; shake off the excess flour.
11. Divide the dough into 3 parts and pour into the molds. I highly recommend splitting the dough rather than baking it in one crust, as it is quite heavy and in the case of baking at a time; it may remain raw.
12. You can also divide the dough into 2 parts and then cut, or bake the cakes one by one, but in any case, don’t bake all at once. Preheat the oven to 180C (356F) and bake the carrot cakes for 20 to 30 minutes, check that they are done with a wooden toothpick.
13. After baking, allow them to cool completely. Next, cut off the top and the edges of the cakes to make 3 carrot biscuits with a diameter of 18 cm (7 inch) and a height of 1 cm (0.4 inch).

1. For the mousse, pour the gelatin with the water and let it swell. Next, gently dissolve the gelatin in a water bath or microwave in short pulses.
2. Whip the cold cream in a mixer bowl, and place it in the fridge.
3. After that (you can use the same mixer bowl), whip the cream cheese and sugar.
4. Add the gelatin and whisk again. After adding gelatin, the cream cheese will become thinner, and that’s ok.
5. Next, you can add vanilla extract or other natural flavor to the cream cheese. I add a little Marsala wine, as it gives a very pleasant flavor. You can also add a delicious liquor. Add the whipped cream in parts and gently stir it with a spatula, keeping the airiness.

You better assemble the cake in a ring mold with a diameter of 20 cm (8 inch). Lay the ring with plastic wrap from the inside.

You will assemble the cake upside down. Tighten the bottom of the ring mold with a plastic foil and, using a pastry bag, place some custard on the bottom; smooth it with a spatula. Place the carrot cake and press it a little into the mousse. Fill the sides (the gap between the cake and the walls of the mold).

1. Divide the remaining custard into 4 parts to spread the mousse evenly in the cake. Place the creamy mousse into the pastry bags immediately.
2. Cover the carrot cake with a thin layer of the mousse, and level it with a spatula.
3. Take the pear blank out from the freezer, then free it from the cling film and also slightly press it into the mousse; cover with a layer of the creamy mousse.
4. Then you can turn the cake on a dish and remove the film. To release the film from the mousse easily, first warm it up with some hot air (you can use the hair dryer), or wrap it in a warm towel.
5. Top the cake with the salted caramel sauce and decorate at your discretion.

The cake is done. I hope you enjoy this recipe!

Bon Appetit!