Citrus and honey cake

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 200°C/400°F/Gas Mark 6.

2. Butter a 25cm (10 inch) springform cake tin and line the base with greaseproof paper. Butter the paper too, then dust with plain flour, turning to coat the tin and tapping out the excess.

3. Cut the orange and lemon into quarters and remove all the pips. Grind up the nuts in a food processor, then add the citrus fruit and process together. It's good to leave some of the nuts slightly coarse, as it lends texture to the cake, and it's also not bad to encounter the odd bit of roughly chopped peel, so don't worry if it is not entirely smooth.

4. Beat together the butter, sugar, eggs, semolina and baking powder until you have a smooth mix. Stir in the fruit and nut purée. Spoon the mixture into the prepared tin, place on a central oven shelf and bake for 10 minutes.

5. Reduce the oven temperature to 180°C/350°F/Gas Mark 4 and bake for a further 45 minutes. Remove the cake and cook for five minutes. If you have buttered and floured your tin properly, it should come away easily from the sides when you unclip them. Remove the papers and place the cake on a wire rack over a wide plate.

6. Make a flavoured syrup by simmering the honey with 5 tablespoons of water and the cinnamon stick for five minutes. Fish out the cinnamon stick and add the citrus juices. Prick the cake all over and pour the syrup on to it, distributing it as widely as possible, as you want the whole cake to be dampened. Any juice which goes straight through on to the plate can be spooned back over when the cake is cold and on its serving dish.

7. Have ready in a bowl some creme fraiche, or a mixture of whipped cream and yoghurt and, just before serving, spread a thin layer on top of the cake and decorate with the roasted hazelnuts, split in half, if you like. Cut the cake at the table and hand around the rest of the cream in a bowl with a small spoon or sauce ladle.
   
   Recipe from The Buenvino Cookbook by Jeannie & Sam Chesterton