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    Pistachio & rose water semolina cake

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    Pistachio & rose water semolina cake

    Drenching a cake in syrup is very Middle Eastern, and keeps the sponge beautifully moist.

    • Preparation time: 45 minutes
    • Cooking time: 60 minutes
    • Total time: 1 hour 45 minutes 60 minutes 45 minutes

    Serves: 10

    Ingredients

    3 cardamom pods, seeds only
    150g pistachios, shelled, plus extra to serve
    100g ground almonds
    175g semolina
    1¼ tsp baking powder
    ¼ tsp salt
    300g unsalted butter, at room temperature
    325g caster sugar
    4 Waitrose British Blacktail Free Range Medium Eggs, lightly beaten
    1 unwaxed lemon, grated zest, plus 1 tbsp juice
    1 tsp Nielsen-Massey Rose Water
    ½ tsp vanilla essence

    ROSE CREAM
    200g Greek yogurt
    200g crème fraîche
    1 tbsp icing sugar
    ½–1 tsp Nielsen-Massey Rose Water

    ROSE PETALS
    40 unsprayed red rose petals
    1 Waitrose British Blacktail Free Range Medium Egg white
    100g caster sugar

    SYRUP
    120ml lemon juice
    1 tsp Nielsen-Massey Rose Water
    120g caster sugar
     

    Method

    1. Grease a round, 23cm, loose-bottomed cake tin and line with baking parchment. Preheat the oven to 170°C, gas 3. Put the cardamom seeds and pistachios in a food processor and grind to a powder. Add the ground almonds, semolina, baking powder and salt; mix again briefly.
    2. Beat the butter and sugar until pale and fluffy. Add the egg in small amounts, incorporating it well. Fold in the mixed dry ingredients, then the lemon zest and juice, rose water and vanilla. Put it into the lined tin, level and bake for 50 minutes to 1 hour until a skewer comes out oily but dry.
    3. Meanwhile, put all the ingredients for the syrup in a small saucepan; bring to the boil to dissolve the sugar, then remove from the heat.
    4. Remove the cake from the oven; while it is still hot, spoon all but 4 tbsp of hot syrup over. Allow the cake to cool, then take out of the tin.
    5. Reduce the oven to 80°C, gas ¼. Dip the rose petals in egg white, shake off any excess and scatter over the sugar. Transfer to an oven tray lined with greaseproof paper. Bake for 30–45 minutes until crisp, turning halfway. Whisk together all the rose cream ingredients. Slice the cake and drizzle with the reserved syrup; serve with the cream and scatter over some chopped pistachios and the petals.

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    Drinks recommendation

    Coffee with a spicy Middle Eastern note is perfect with this beautiful and exotic cake.

    Comments

    Average user rating

    4 stars