100g toasted hazelnuts, skin removed
1/2 cup caster sugar, plus 2 tsp extra
1/3 cup plain flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
2 eggs
1/4 cup milk
1 tsp vanilla extract
80g unsalted butter, melted, cooled, plus 20g extra chilled butter
2 ripe pears (eg beurre bosc)
icing sugar, to dust
Melt the butter down and let cool.
Preheat oven to 170 C and grease a 26cm round loose-bottomed tart pan.
Blitz the hazelnuts, caster sugar, 1 Tb flour in a food processor until the nuts are quite finely ground (be careful not to wizz for too long because the nuts will release oil and form a paste). Tip the mixture into a large bowl.
Sift remaining flour, baking powder and a pinch of salt into the nut mixture. Whisk together for 30 seconds until well combined.
Beat eggs in a separate bowl until just frothy (whisk is ok). Then whisk in the milk, vanilla and melted butter.
Pour the egg mixture into the nut mixture and stir together until well combined. Pour into the baking dish and spread evenly.
Peel, quarter and core the pears. Slice each quarter into 5mm thick slices. Fan the slices slightly by pressing on top of them with the palm of your hand. Transfer it to the top of the batter (around 6 slices per fan). Repeat with the remaining pears in a higgeldy-piggeldy pattern.
Sprinkle 2 tsp sugar over the pears and dollop with the little chunks of chilled butter.
Bake the torta for 25-30 minutes until the batter is slightly puffed and golden - time will vary a bit.
Transfer to a wire rack and sift a thickish layer of icing sugar over the top. Allow to cool to lukewarm, then dust with more icing sugar (if needed).
Serve with cream or icecream.
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