CITRUS

ALMOND-CRUSTED FLOURLESS ‘BOILED’ CITRUS CAKE – TWO WAYS

Sometimes a choice is a delicious dilemma. The longer method of gently simmering the citrus fills the kitchen with beautiful aromas or there’s the super-quick microwave shortcut. The almond crust is not essential.

PREPARATION TIME: 20 minutes | COOKING TIME: 50 minutes | SERVES: 10

4 large mandarins or 2 large oranges

6 eggs

1 cup (220 g/7¾ oz) caster (superfine) sugar

1 teaspoon baking powder

2½ cups (250 g/9 oz) almond meal

½ cup (50 g/1¾ oz) flaked almonds (optional)

Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F (fan 160°C/315°F). Grease 22 cm (8¾ in) spring-form cake pan with butter and line with two layers of baking paper.

Boiling method : Wash the citrus and put them in a pot with water to cover. Bring to the boil, reduce the heat and gently simmer for 2 hours. Remove from the heat and cool for a few minutes, then roughly chop, removing any large seeds. Put the skin and flesh in a food processor, blitz to a fine puré e and then cool.

Microwave method : Wash the fruit and, using a fine skewer, pierce all over. Place in a microwave-proof bowl with cold water to about 5 mm (¼ in) of the bowl. Cover and microwave on high (1000 watts, 100 per cent power) for 4 minutes or until the fruit is pulpy. Chop and puré e as above.

Whisk the eggs in an electric mixer until thick, pale and creamy. Gradually add the sugar and baking powder. Continue to whisk until the mixture has the consistency of lightly whipped cream. Using a large metal spoon, gently fold in the almond meal (break up any lumps first) and citrus puré e, until well combined.

Pour the mixture into the prepared pan and bake for about 10 minutes, then scatter with the almonds. Continue to bake for a further 40–45 minutes, until a skewer inserted into the middle of the cake comes out with a few fine sticky crumbs. If the almonds are browning too much, cover the cake with foil. Cool in the pan on a wire rack for 15 minutes before carefully removing to cool completely.

TIP The cake has a stubborn habit of sinking slightly in the centre as it cools, but this is nothing to worry about. It’s the taste – the wanton appeal – that matters.