Greek Orange and Honey Syrup Cake with Yoghurt and Pistachios
The sharp acidity of the orange in this cake
combines beautifully with the sweetness of the Greek mountain honey. Because
the cake is soaked in syrup, you can make it well ahead and just whip it out
when you’re ready to serve.
Serves 12
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Ingredients
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For the cake:
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4½ oz (125 g) ground almonds
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6 oz (175 g) well-softened butter, plus a little
extra for greasing
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6 oz (175 g) golden caster sugar
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3 large eggs, beaten
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9 oz (250 g) semolina
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4½ level teaspoons baking powder
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For the syrup:
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8 fl oz (225 ml) Greek mountain honey
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5 tablespoons orange juice
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1½ tablespoons lemon juice
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1½ inch (4 cm) cinnamon stick
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For the topping:
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7 oz (200 g) Greek yoghurt
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1½ oz (40 g) unsalted, shelled pistachio nuts
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2 tablespoons Greek mountain honey
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Pre-heat the oven to gas mark 6, 400°F (200°C).
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You will also need a 10 inch (25.5 cm) springform cake tin,
lightly greased and the base lined with greased silicone paper (baking
parchment).
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This
recipe is taken from How to Cook Book Three.
Method
First, cut the oranges into chunks, removing
the pips. Then tip the whole lot – flesh, pith and zest – into a food processor and whiz it to
a thick purée. Now all you do is simply put all the other cake ingredients into
a large bowl and, provided the butter is really soft, just go in with an
electric hand whisk and whisk everything together until you have a smooth,
well-combined mixture. After that, fold in the orange purée, spoon the mixture
into the prepared tin and smooth the top with the back of the spoon.
Now place the cake on the centre shelf of the
oven and bake it for an initial 10 minutes. Then lower the temperature to gas
mark 4, 350°F (180°C) and bake for a further 40-45 minutes, or until it is
golden brown, springy in the centre and has shrunk slightly from the sides of
the tin.
Meanwhile, make the syrup. To do this, simply
combine the honey and 5 tablespoons water with the cinnamon stick in a small
saucepan, place it over a gentle heat, bring it up to simmering point and let
it simmer gently for about 5 minutes. After that, take the pan off the heat,
remove the cinnamon stick and stir in the orange and lemon juices.
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| a Delia Smith special |
Leave the cake aside to cool for 5 minutes,
then remove it from the tin to a wire rack to cool, with a large plate
underneath. Make a few holes all over it with a skewer before pouring the syrup
over it. (It will look like there is far too much, but don’t worry, the cake
will absorb more than you think, and any that is not absorbed can be poured
from the plate back over the cake.) Then, when the cake is absolutely cold,
place it on a serving plate, cover it and leave it in a cool place overnight.
Just before serving, spread the top of the
cake with the Greek yoghurt, sprinkle over the pistachios, drizzle with the
honey and serve cut into chunky slices.
Note: This cake can also be made to serve
8-10, in an 8 inch (20 cm) tin, using 1 orange, 3 oz (75 g) ground almonds, 4
oz (110 g) each softened butter and sugar, 2 large eggs, 6 oz (175 g) semolina
and 3 level teaspoons baking powder. For the syrup, use 5 fl oz (150 ml) honey,
3 tablespoons each water and orange juice, 1 tablespoon lemon juice and 1 inch
(2.5 cm) cinnamon stick. For the topping, use 7 oz (200g) Greek yoghurt, 1 oz
(25 g) pistachios and 1½ tablespoons honey. Bake the cake for 10 minutes at the
higher temperature and 25-30 minutes at the lower temperature.