Blood orange and hazelnut cake and bitter orange fool

Serves 6

Advertisement

Method

Put the oranges in a pan and cover with water, bring to the boil, then turn down to a simmer for 25 minutes until the flesh is easily pierced with a skewer. Drain and cool just enough to be able to handle. Grease and line the base of the tin. Preheat the oven to 190°C/375°F/Gas 5. Roughly cut the oranges (discard any pips). Put into a processor, along with any juice, and butter, and whizz to a fine purée. Tip into a large bowl and stir in the zest, ground hazelnuts and cornmeal.

Whisk the egg whites with electric beaters until soft peaks form, add half the caster sugar a little at a time and whisk between each addition until the mixture is stiff. Set aside. Without washing the beaters, whisk the yolks with the remaining caster sugar until they form a thick mousse-like consistency, then fold into the orange mixture. Fold in the egg whites gently, until the mixture is smooth, then spoon into the prepared 200cm loose-bottomed tin. Bake for 1 hour 10 minutes-1 hour 30 minutes. Leave for 10 minutes, then unmould onto a rack to cool. Sift the icing sugar over the cake to serve.

For the bitter orange fool, put the ingredients in a large bowl and whisk until the mixture just holds a soft peak when spooned. Chill until ready to serve, but for no longer than one hour.