Christmas cake with spices and pears, topped with its flambé meringue

Entirely covered in meringue, this creation hides its secret well. It is only when you cut it that you discover the inside: a layer cake where a soft cake with spices, fondant seasonal pears infused with cinnamon and creamy icing are combined. A clever blend of spicy flavors that will warm hearts.

 RECIPE

Preparation time: 1h30
Cooking time: 40 min
Resting time: 1h

Ingredients :

The filling:
● 3 pears
● 1 liter water
● 200 g caster sugar
● 1 cinnamon stick

The cake:
● 200 g unsalted butter at room temperature
● 150 g brown sugar
● 50 g whole cane sugar
● 3 Mas d'Auge eggs
● 1 teaspoon natural vanilla extract
● 385 g flour
● 1.5 tsp baking powder
● 0.75 tsp baking soda
● 2 tsp ground cinnamon
● 1 tsp ground ginger
● 0.5 tsp cardamom
● 0.5 tsp 4 spice mix coffee
● pinch of salt
● 250 ml milk at room temperature

The icing:
● 330 g of mascarpone
● 12 cl of full cream 30% fat
● 2 tablespoons of icing sugar

The meringue:
● 4 Mas d'Auge egg whites
● 220 g caster sugar

Steps:
1. In a saucepan, pour the water, powdered sugar and cinnamon stick then add the peeled pears. Heat over medium heat for about 25 minutes. Drain and leave to cool, then core the pears and cut them into cubes.
2. Preheat the oven to 170° traditional heat.
3. In a bowl, beat the butter and sugar until creamy and
light.
5. Add the Mas d'Auge eggs one by one, mixing between each, then add the vanilla.
6. In another container, sift the dry ingredients: flour, baking powder, baking soda and spices.
7. Add the dry ingredients several times to the previous mixture, alternating with the milk.
8. Grease two 15cm diameter molds. Pour the dough into the molds and bake for about 35/40 minutes (to be adapted according to your oven, test the cooking with a wooden pick.
9. Leave to cool on a wire rack and unmold. If necessary, cut the domes of each cake to have very flat levels.
10. For the frosting, whip together the liquid cream, the mascarpone and the icing sugar to obtain a creamy frosting.
11. Assemble the cake: place the first slice of cake on the baking dish. 12. Garnish with a layer of icing
and diced pears, then place the second slice and so on until the last slice.Refrigerate for 1 hour.
13. Make the meringue: pour the egg whites and powdered sugar into a bowl over a double boiler, whisk by hand until the grains of sugar are dissolved to the touch.
14. Then transfer the mixture to the bowl of the food processor (or other container) and whisk at maximum speed until the meringue cools and is shiny.
15. Cover the cake with meringue using a tablespoon, making large movements. Use a kitchen torch to brown the meringue.
16. Store cool. The meringue arises at the last moment, before serving.
17. Serve in a beautiful dish, and voila!