High altitudes make cookies spread in the pan, cakes fall, and few baked goods turn out as they do at sea level. This twice-monthly column presents recipes and tips that make baking in the mountains successful. 

Moist, mildly sweet, with a pleasing play between the delicate pear and almond flavors, this is a lovely dessert. Not decadent or overpowering, this one-layer flourless cake is light on the tongue yet leaves you satisfied and pleasantly surprised that it tastes so good. 

Any baking pears will work in the recipe, just be sure they’re ripe but still firm — too hard or too soft and they’ll be a disappointment. I bathe them in Amaretto (an almond liqueur), add a little to the batter, and glaze the top of the finished torte with it. Though it’s optional, it strengthens both the flavor and moist texture. You can substitute dark rum for it or leave it out entirely. When you measure the almond flour, pack it like you would brown sugar, to get the amount called for in the recipe. 

Pear-almond torte

Flourless and gluten-free. Adjusted for altitudes from 7,000-10,000 feet. Make in a shiny metal 8-inch springform pan.

Torte

• 1-2 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon Amaretto liqueur or dark rum, optional
• 1 baking pear, ripe but still firm
• 1 1/4 cups plus 3 tablespoons packed almond flour
• 1/4 teaspoons baking powder 
• 1/4 teaspoon table salt
• 2 large eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract or paste
• 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature, cut into small pieces
• 1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon granulated sugar, preferably superfine

Topping, optional

• 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
• 2-3 tablespoons sliced almonds

Glaze, optional

• Amaretto liqueur or dark rum

Confectioners’ sugar, optional

Get ready: Pour 1-2 tablespoons Amaretto liqueur in a shallow bowl. Peel, core, and cut the pear into quarter-inch slices from the stem to the base. Place them in the bowl, toss until all are well coated in the liqueur and set aside to macerate. Grease your pan with a baking spray that contains flour and preheat the oven to 350 degrees with a rack in the center position.

Prepare dry ingredients: Combine and whisk the almond flour, baking powder and salt to blend and set aside.

Prepare wet ingredients: Lightly whisk the eggs, both extracts and the 1 teaspoon of Amaretto (if using) to combine and set aside.

Make the batter: Using an electric mixer, beat the butter and sugar until creamy. Slowly drizzle in the egg mixture while continuing to beat until well mixed. It may look curdled for a while but will smooth out as you beat. In two additions, add the almond flour mixture and beat at a lower speed until a smooth, fairly thick, batter forms.

Add batter to pan: Scape the batter into the prepared pan, smooth and level it. Stand the pear slices on the batter in a circle with the stem end of each slice facing the center and the bottom edge of each slice close to the side of the pan and gently press them in so they don’t fall over. Sprinkle with granulated sugar, if desired (this caramelizes as the torte bakes and deepens the color of the torte’s top), then sprinkle on sliced almonds.

Bake: Move the pan to the oven and bake until the sides start to pull away from the pan, a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, and the top colors, from 25-30 minutes. If the top looks done before the batter passes the toothpick test, tent the pan with a sheet of aluminum foil until the torte finishes baking. 

Glaze, if using, and cool: Remove the pan to a cooling rack and, if glazing, brush the top several times with Amaretto. Let cool completely, then remove the pan sides. If not serving immediately, store, covered, in the ‘fridge, for up to a day. 

Serve: Sprinkle confectioners’ sugar over top and slice with a thin-bladed, sharp knife, pressing straight down (don’t saw). 

Vera Dawson’s column “High Country Baking” publishes biweekly in the Summit Daily News. Dawson is a high-elevation baking instructor and author of three high-altitude cookbooks. Her recipes have been tested in her kitchen in Frisco, where she’s lived since 1991, and altered until they work at elevation. Contact her at veradawson1@gmail.com.