Dough:
3 tablespoons cocoa powder,
120 ml hot water,
6 eggs,
1 cup plus 4 tablespoons sugar,
7 tablespoons melted butter,
1.5 to 2 cups flour,
1.5 teaspoons baking powder.
Filling:
1 kg pears,
2 cups water with 1 cup sugar,
a pinch of citric acid,
1 can of sweetened condensed milk,
350-400 g butter,
Dough:
Pour hot water over the cocoa powder.
Separate the eggs into whites and yolks.
Beat the egg whites with 4 tablespoons of sugar, and beat the yolks with 1 tablespoon of sugar.
Add the melted butter, flour, and baking powder to the beaten yolks, then gently fold in the beaten egg whites.
Bake one layer at 170°C (340°F). Cut it into 3–4 pieces, or bake 3–4 layers individually.
Filling:
Peel the pears and cut them into cubes, then cover them with the water mixed with sugar and citric acid.
Cook for 10–20 minutes over low heat, depending on the type of pears.
Let the pears cool in the syrup, preferably overnight. Strain the pears, reserving some of the syrup.
Beat the sweetened condensed milk with the butter, adding a little of the reserved pear syrup.
Spread the filling between the cake layers, adding pieces of pear as you go.
Add “Duchess” flavoring or cinnamon to the dough for extra aroma.
