MACADAMIA CAKE, HONEY CREAM & ORANGE SYRUP

Eat Local Volume 1

Many nut lovers describe the macadamia nut as the best nut in the world. Paul and Robyn Lee from Greenlee Farm produce the best macadamia nuts I’ve ever tasted — more-ish, crunchy and buttery. Of course, macadamia trees come with beehives, so Paul and Robyn also produce and sell raw honey.

Ingredients

3 free-range eggs, separated

100 g unsalted butter

80 g raw honey

200 g dry roasted macadamia nuts

50 g organic white spelt or plain flour pinch of sea salt zest and juice of ½ lemon

1 teaspoon ground cardamom handful of dry roasted macadamia nuts, sliced

Method

Preheat the oven to 180°C. Grease and line an 11 cm x 22 cm bar cake tin with baking paper. Place the nuts, flour and salt in a food processor, and pulse until coarse — be careful not to pulse too long or you’ll end up with butter. Whisk the egg whites in an electric stand mixer on a medium speed until soft peaks form, then set aside.

Place the butter and honey in the bowl of the mixer, and beat until pale and creamy. Add the egg yolks, one at a time, whisking for a minute after each addition. Fold the ground nuts, flour, salt, zest and juice, and spice into the butter mix. Using a metal kitchen spoon, gently fold a third of the egg whites into the paste to loosen the mix. Fold the remaining egg white into the batter. The batter should be light and creamy. Pour the batter into the prepared tin and bake for 35–40 minutes or until golden on top and cooked through. Insert a wooden skewer into the cake and if it

HONEY CREAM

200 g double cream

50 g sour cream

1 vanilla bean, seeded and scraped, or 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste

2 teaspoons raw honey

ORANGE SYRUP

2 teaspoons raw honey ribbon zest and juice of 1 orange

6 cardamom pods (optional) comes away clean, the cake is ready. If the cake starts to darken on top before it’s cooked, place a sheet of alfoil on top of the cake while it bakes.

To make the honey cream, place all ingredients in a medium bowl and whisk to firm peaks. Cover and refrigerate until required.

To make the orange syrup, place all ingredients in a small saucepan over a medium heat and bring to the boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 3–5 minutes, until the sauce is reduced to a syrup consistency. Strain and keep the long strips of zest aside. Set aside the syrup, and don’t refrigerate.

To finish the cake, ice with honey cream, and scatter orange strips and sliced macadamia nuts on top, and spoon orange syrup over the cake.