Yogurt Cake with Pears

Ingredients

• 3 eggs
• 150 g sugar
• 150 g flour
• 1 tsp Baking powder
• 8 ripe pears (e.g., Williams Christ)
• 500 ml dry white wine (e.g., Riesling)
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 2 cloves
• 1 star anise
• 150 g sugar
• 6 sheets of white gelatin
• 300 ml whipping cream (at least 30% fat)
• 3 tbsp powdered sugar
• 500 g natural yogurt (1.5% fat)
• 20 ml pear brandy (e.g., Williams Christ)
• 70 g blanched almond flakes
• 3 tbsp powdered sugar
• 3 tbsp crunchy topping

Instructions

1. 1.

   Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F). Grease and flour the bottom of a springform pan. Separate the eggs; beat the whites with 3 tbsp cold water until stiff peaks form. Whisk the yolks with sugar over a double boiler until pale and creamy. Fold the egg whites into the yolk mixture, sift in the flour and baking powder, and gently fold together with a wooden spoon. Pour the batter into the pan, smooth the top, and bake for 30-40 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.

2. 2.

   Remove the cake from the oven and cool on a wire rack. Peel the pears and use a melon baller to remove the core from below. In a pot, bring the wine, spices, and sugar to a boil; simmer for 10 minutes over medium heat. Add the pears, cover, and poach for about 10 minutes until tender. Remove the pears and let them cool.

3. 3.

   Soak gelatin in cold water. Whip cream with powdered sugar until stiff peaks form, then fold into yogurt gradually. Warm the brandy in a small pot and dissolve the pressed gelatin in it. Add 2-3 tbsp of this mixture to the yogurt, stir, then return to the remaining cream mixture and whisk smooth. Drain the sponge cake, place on a cake plate, and set with a ring.

4. 4.

   Spread the yogurt filling over the cake base, press pears upright into the center so they are half submerged in the cream. Refrigerate for 2 hours. Meanwhile, toast almond flakes in a dry pan until golden yellow, dust with powdered sugar, briefly caramelize, spread thinly on parchment paper, and cool. Remove the ring, decorate the edge with crunchy topping, break the almond crust into eight pieces, and place one piece on each pear. Serve chilled, sliced into portions.