Tag Archives: Fruit

Spiced Plum & Almond Cake

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Serves 10-12

Ingredients

Spiced Plums

  • 1 ½ cups sugar
  • 1 piece star anise
  • 1 cinnamon stick, broke in half
  • 2-3 pieces of unwaxed lemon peel
  • ¾ cup water
  • 6 small red plums, halved and pitted

Cake

  • 1 and ½ cups ground almonds, divided
  • 1 ½ cups unbleached all-purpose flour
  • 2 teaspoon baking powder
  • ¾ cup unsalted butter, room temperature
  • 1 cup sugar
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • 3 eggs
  • 2 Tablespoons sliced almonds

Method

Spiced Plums

  1. In a small saucepan, combine the sugar, star anise, cinnamon stick, lemon peel, water and bring  to a boil, stirring occasionally. Remove from the heat and add the plums, ensuring they are submerged in the hot liquer. Let rest for 20 minutes. After this time drain, reserving ½ cup of the cooled syrup

Cake

  1. Preheat your oven to 350°F. Prepare with butter or baking spray the sides of an 8-inch springform pan and line the bottom with parchment paper
  2. In a bowl, combine 1 cup of the ground almonds, all the all-purpose flour and baking powder. Whisk to combine and set aside until needed
  3. In the bowl of a stand mixer, cream the butter and sugar together until pale and fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating until smooth. At low speed or with a wooden spoon, stir in the dry ingredients. Set aside ½ cup of the batter. Transfer the remaining batter into the prepared pan and arrange the infused plums, cut side down, on the surface
  4. Stir the remaining ½ cup of ground almonds into the reserved batter. Spoon into a pastry bag fitted with a pastry tip. Pipe the mixture in the spaces between the plums and sprinkle with the almond slices. Place the pan on a baking sheet.
  5. Bake for 1 hour or until a toothpick inserted into the centre of the cake comes out clean. Let cool for 10 minutes in the pan, then remove. Lightly brush the top of the cake with the plum infusing syrup from earlier (gently reheated for ease of brushing)
  6. Slice, serve and enjoy!

Cherry & Peach Pavlova w/ Tonka Bean Lemon Curd

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Makes 9 inch pavlova, yields 8-10 servings

Ingredients

Pavlova

  • 3 large egg whites
  • ½ cup fine sugar
  • ½ cup dark brown sugar
  • ¼ tsp cream of tartar, or ½ tsp lemon juice or vinegar
  • 1/8 teaspoon salt
  • 2oz dark chocolate, chopped
  • 1 cup whipping cream
  • 1 ½ cups mascarpone
  • 3 ripe peaches, sliced
  • ½ lb cherries, halved and pitted
  • ¼ cup sugar
  • 1 Tablespoon rum
  • Toasted, flaked almonds (optional)

Tonka Bean Lemon Curd

  • 5 unwaxed lemons
  • 1 cup white sugar
  • 1 medium Tonka bean (1 inch), grated using a micro-plane
  • 3 whole eggs and 3 yolks, room temperature
  • 1/8 teaspoon salt
  • 7 Tablespoons butter, cubed, softened to room temperature

Method

Pavlova

  1. Preheat your oven to 250°F. Cover a large baking tray with baking parchment and trace a circle, about 9-10 inches in diameter, on to the paper. Turn the paper over so the drawn-on side is facing down but still visible
  2. In a clean, dry bowl of a stand mixer, using whisk attachment, whisk the egg whites until frothy, then add the cream of tartar and whip to soft peaks. Reduce the speed to medium-low and with the whisk continuously running, add in the salt and the sugars a spoonful at a time, until thick and satiny
  3. Spread the meringue inside the drawn circle, creating a nest by making the sides a little higher than the centre. Place in the oven and bake for 3 hours, then switch off the oven but leave the meringue inside until completely cool: this will take about 2 hours. Once cool, remove from the oven and set aside
  4. Place the chocolate into a small heatproof bowl and set it over a small saucepan of simmering water, making sure the base of the bowl is not touching the water. Stir occasionally until melted. Cool slightly, then brush the chocolate inside the meringue nest, leaving the top and sides bare. Do this gently, as the meringue is fairly delicate. Leave to set for about 2 hours
  5. Place the cream and mascarpone in a large bowl and whisk for about 1 minute, until stiff peaks form. Be careful not to over-whisk, If the mixture begins to split use a spatula to fold a little more cream into the mix to bring it back together. Refrigerate until needed
  6. In a bowl combine the peach slices, cherries, sugar and brandy. Leave to macerate on the counter while you prepare the curd

Tonka Bean Lemon Curd

  1. Zest three of the lemons into a bowl with the sugar and grated tonka bean. Rub together with your fingertips to release the oils, then squeeze enough the lemons to give 1 cup juice
  2. Whisk the eggs into the sugar followed by the lemon juice, a little at a time, until fully incorporated
  3. Put in a heavy-based pan over a low heat and stir continuously with a rubber whisk or wooden spoon until thickened- which should take about 7 minutes. Strain into a medium bowl to remove any lumps or debris
  4. Whilst gently whisking, start dropping in the butter, a  tablespoon at a time, beating well at each addition until incorporated before adding in the next. When all the butter has been added continue beating until smooth
  5. Cover with cling wrap and allow to cool fully in the fridge before use

To assemble

  1. Carefully spoon the cream/ mascarpone mixture into the centre of the meringue. Using a teaspoon, place dollops of the tonka bean lemon curd onto the cream and swirl using a knife or chopstick.
  2. Top with the macerated fruit, drained of liquor, and pipe drizzles of additional curd over the fruit
  3. Sprinkle with a few toasted, flaked almonds for a finishing touch and serve immediately