Ingredients

• 150g butter, at room temperature, chopped
• 1 cup caster sugar
• 3 Coles Brand free range eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla essence
• 3/4 cup self-raising flour
• 1/2 cup plain flour
• 1/2 cup cocoa powder
• 1/2 cup buttermilk
• 1/2 cup caster sugar, extra
• 2 firm ripe pears, peeled
• 1 cup Coles Brand thickened cream
• 400g Coles Brand dark cooking chocolate, chopped

Toffee Hazelnuts

• 1/2 cup caster sugar
• 10 hazelnuts, lightly toasted and skin rubbed off

Method

• Step 1 Preheat oven to 160C or 140C fan-forced. Grease a 20cm round cake tin and line base with non-stick baking paper. Use electric beaters to beat butter and 1 cup of caster sugar until pale and creamy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in vanilla.
• Step 2 Sift flours and cocoa powder over the mixture and add buttermilk. Fold in until combined (do not overbeat). Pour into the prepared tin, and bake for 50-55 mins, or until springy to a gentle touch in the centre. Cool in the tin for 10 mins, then turn out onto a wire rack to cool.
• Step 3 Meanwhile, combine extra sugar with 4 cups water in a medium saucepan and stir over low heat until dissolved. Add pears and bring to the boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 10-15 mins, or until tender but not mushy. Remove from pan, drain and cool. Cut into quarters.
• Step 4 Heat cream in a small saucepan until hot, then add cooking chocolate. Remove from heat and stand until chocolate has softened, then stir until melted and smooth. Transfer to a bowl and refrigerate, stirring occasionally, until thickened to a spreadable consistency (don’t let it get too thick).
• Step 5 For the toffee hazelnuts, combine sugar and 1/4 cup water in a small saucepan. Stir over low heat, without boiling, until sugar has dissolved (brush any crystals from the side of the pan with a wet pastry brush). Bring to the boil and cook over medium heat, without stirring, for about 10 mins, or until golden brown. Remove from heat and cool slightly. Line a heatproof tray with non-stick baking paper. Insert a thick toothpick into the base of each hazelnut. Working one at a time, dip a hazelnut into the toffee. Allow excess to drip off and place on the tray to set. Repeat the dipping, letting a trail of toffee form. Cut off with scissors. If toffee becomes too thick, gently reheat. Remove toothpicks before putting hazelnuts on cake.
• Step 6 Cut cake into thirds horizontally. Spread chocolate mixture on cake layers and reassemble. Top with pears and hazelnuts.