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1
Sift together flour, baking soda, sugar, and cocoa powder.
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2
Place into mixing bowl.
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3
Put butter, oil, and water into a pot and melt over medium heat.
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4
When butter has melted, pour into dry ingredients and mix on low speed until incorporated.
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5
Then mix on medium speed while adding eggs, 1 at a time, and then sour cream.
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6
Continue to mix only until incorporated.
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7
Pour batter into greased and papered sheet pan (8 inch by 12 inch).
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8
Bake in a preheated 375-degree F oven until firm to touch and releases from sides of the pan.
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9
Cool.
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10
Then invert onto back of another pan or onto a pastry or cutting board.
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11
Take a round cutter, 1/2-inch-in-diameter larger than the base of the pear.
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12
Cut out cake circles.
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13
(Save rest of cake as snacks, cut into squares and dust with powdered sugar.)
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14
Place cream in pan, place over medium high heat.
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15
Bring just to a boil.
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16
Remove immediately from stove.
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17
Pour in chopped chocolate.
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18
Stir until all chocolate pieces are melted.
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19
Cool slightly.
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20
Place cake circles on cooling rack placed on top of a pan (to catch drippings).
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21
Pour glaze over cakes, being careful to fully cover top and sides.
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22
Place in refrigerator to harden.
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23
Once set, take spatula and carefully remove circles.
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24
Place on papered sheet pan.
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25
Roll out marzipan and cut it into a 3/4-inch wide strip.
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26
Cut a decorative design on 1 side (like waves or triangles).
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27
Wrap the strip, straight side on the bottom around the base of each glazed cake circle.
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28
Place cake circle in center of dessert plate.
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29
Pour reduced cool sauce around cake enough to coat plate nicely.
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30
Place Dipped Poached Pear in center on top of cake.
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31
If desired, take edible gold leaf and place in increments around cake on sauce.
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32
Mix together puree, liqueur, and sugar.
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33
Pour into saucepan.
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34
Set aside.
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35
Peel pears, core out from bottom of pear using melon baller.
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36
Careful not to break or split the sides of the pear.
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37
Slice bottom of pear, to enable pear to stand straight up.
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38
Place pears standing up in puree mixture.
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39
Bring to boil, reduce heat to a simmer.
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40
Cover with aluminum foil, poach until tender, approximately 8 to 10 minutes, depending on ripeness of pears.
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41
Remove pears from liquid and place on cooling rack.
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42
Remove poaching liquid from stove and cool.
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43
Once liquid is cold, place pears back into liquid and store, covered in refrigerator over night.
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44
Remove pears from liquid (reserve liquid for later use).
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45
Place on cooling rack to drain.
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46
Melt chocolate in bowl over a pan of simmering water.
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47
Once pears have drained, pat dry, and dip into the melted chocolate, approximately 1-inch up base of pear.
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48
Place on waxed paper to set chocolate.
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49
Place cooking liquid back into a saucepan, and bring to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer.
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50
Continue to simmer, reducing liquid to sauce consistency.
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51
Remove from stove and cool.
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52
This recipe was provided by professional chefs and has been scaled down from a bulk recipe provided by a restaurant.
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53
The FN chefs have not tested this recipe, in the proportions indicated, and therefore, we cannot make any representation as to the results.
