A seriously good cake from Thomasina Miers. if you like serve with some whipped cream or creme fraiche on the side.
Ingredients
- 200 g blanched hazelnuts
- 2 tins drained figs stems removed – (Baldjis kalamata figs from Waitrose are good)
- 250 g unsalted butter softened
- 200 g soft muscovado sugar
- 250 g white spelt flour
- ½ tsp salt
- 1½ tsp baking powder
- 4 eggs
- 100 ml brandy
- a few sprigs fresh thyme picked and chopped
- 150 g 70% cocoa chocolate finely chopped
- zest of 1 orange
Servings:
Instructions
- Heat the oven to 170C/335F/gas mark 3, and grease and line the base of a loose-bottomed 23cm cake tin.Put the hazelnuts on a baking tray and roast for eight to nine minutes, until golden, then remove and leave to cool.
- Put the cooled hazelnuts in a food processor and pulse until they’re the consistency of breadcrumbs (not too fine ones), then tip into a bowl.
- Wipe down the food processor bowl, add the drained figs and whiz to a puree, then tip into a large bowl. Wipe out the food processor again, then add the butter and sugar, and whizz together for a few minutes, until pale and fluffy.
- Add the fig puree to the butter mixture and pulse for a few moments, until they’re just combined, then pour this mixture back into the mixing bowl.
- Sift the flour, salt and baking powder into a second mixing bowl and add the ground hazelnuts and chopped thyme leaves.In a smaller third bowl, whisk together the eggs and brandy.
- Using a wooden spoon, beat a third of the flour mix into the fig mixture, then repeat with a third of the egg mix. Slowly add the rest of the flour and eggs, in two alternating batches, folding in each addition with a wooden spoon before adding the next.
- Finally, fold the chopped chocolate and orange zest into the cake mix.
- Pour the cake batter into the prepared tin and bake in the centre of the oven for 45-50 minutes, until a skewer comes out clean when pushed into the centre.
- Leave the cake to cool in the tin for 20 minutes, then run a palette knife around the edge, to loosen, and remove the cake from the tin. Transfer the cake to a wire rack, to cool completely, then serve cut into slices with creme fraiche or cream.
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