Chocolate, Pumpkin and Pecan Pie by Eric Lanlard

This recipe was provided by master patissier, Eric Lanlard, who will be at the 2018 Cake Bake & Sweets Show.

I’d describe this cake as a perfect winter warmer, full of earthy flavours and a spicy, nutty crunch. It’s best eaten a day after baking.

Serves 8

Preparation time: 20 minutes, plus cooling and resting overnight.

Cooking time: 1 hour 25 minutes

Ingredients:

  • 125g (4oz) pecan nuts
  • 1 tsp cayenne pepper
  • 225g (7½oz) dark chocolate, roughly chopped
  • 150g (5oz) unsalted butter, plus extra for greasing 3 eggs
  • 275g (9oz) dark muscovado sugar
  • 275ml (9fl oz) water
  • 3 tsp vanilla paste or extract
  • 250g (8oz) self-raising flour
  • 3 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 100g (3½oz) peeled, deseeded pumpkin
  • Grated cocoa powder, for dusting

Method:

  1. Preheat the oven to 170°C (fan 150°C)/325°F/ gas mark 3.
  2. Grease a 23cm (9in) diameter springform cake tin and line with baking paper.
  3. In a large bowl, mix the pecans and cayenne pepper together.
  4. Place the nuts on a baking sheet and roast in the oven for 10 minutes, or until they are golden and crunchy. Leave to cool, then roughly chop.
  5. Melt the chocolate and butter together in a heatproof bowl set over a saucepan of barely simmering water, making sure the surface of the water does not touch the bowl.
  6. Beat the eggs and sugar together in a bowl until nice and smooth, then beat in the melted chocolate mixture, followed by the water and vanilla.
  7. Sift the flour and cinnamon together, then fold in until smooth.
  8. Fold in the pumpkin and chopped pecans.
  9. Spoon the mixture into the prepared tin and bake in the oven for 1 hour 10 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean.
  10. Leave to cool in the tin for 10 minutes, then turn out on to a cooling rack to cool completely.
  11. Wrap the cake in clingfilm and store at room temperature for at least 24 hours before eating.
  12. Dust with cocoa powder before serving.

Recipe taken from Chocolat by Eric Lanlard, published by Octopus Books (c) photography, Kate Whitaker