There's nothing quite like home baking to lift one's spirits.
We are a nation of home bakers. It’s what we do when someone we know is unwell, when times are tough or when, for whatever reason, the next-door neighbour needs comforting. We deliver these plates of good intentions out of a desire to do something. Not knowing how to control our emotions, we either turn to the gin bottle or react by creaming butter and sugar together, then adding flour and anything else that may be lying around. I’m not talking about some schmancy-pants chocolate and beetroot gateau, but the sorts of cakes that have the ability to transport us to another time or place, where a soft blanket, a hot-water bottle, a cup of tea and a slice of something richly textured, with a tender crumb, can make our problems disappear. It may be a Mary Poppins kind of solution, but it’s astonishing what a couple of hours’ baking can do to lift the spirits. Based loosely on an old-fashioned pineapple upside-down cake, this version comes into its own when made with apricots. Feel free to change the fruit as required. Use a 20cm non-stick cake tin, or liberally butter eight individual ovenproof ramekins. Please note there are a few steps to go through before turning on the oven.
Apricot Upside-Down Cake with Apricot Curd
CARAMEL
100g sugar
3 tbsp water
CAKE
8 ripe apricots
175g unsalted butter
150g caster sugar
3 large free-range eggs
175g self-raising flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tbsp ground almonds
APRICOT Curd
300g apricots
3 tbsp water
125g sugar
4 tbsp unsalted butter
juice of a lemon
2 free-range egg yolks
1 free-range egg
To make the caramel, simmer the sugar and water in a saucepan until it is a deep golden-brown. Pour it carefully over the base of the cake tin.
To make the cake, halve and stone the apricots. Place the halves, rounded-side down, in the caramel. Cream the butter and sugar until soft and fluffy. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, adding a little flour if they start to curdle. Combine the flour, baking powder and ground almonds and fold into the mixture. Drop spoonfuls over the apricots as carefully as possible, taking care not to dislodge them. Smooth the mixture over the top and bake at 180°C for about 45 minutes or until the cake is golden and cooked. Cool in the tin for about 30 minutes, then place a serving plate over the cake and invert it. Check that all the fruit has been dislodged. Serve warm with the apricot curd and some cream.
To make the curd, wash the apricots, then halve and stone them. Cut each half into sixths, place in a saucepan with the water and cook until tender. Purée in a food processor until smooth, then pour back into a clean saucepan. Over a low heat, add the sugar and cook until it has dissolved – about 2 minutes. Cut the butter into little pieces and melt it into the purée. Add the lemon juice. In a large bowl, whisk the egg yolks with the whole egg, then whisk in a little of the warm apricot purée. This is just to warm the eggs through so they don’t scramble. Return the mixture to the saucepan and cook over a medium heat, stirring constantly until the curd becomes thick. Remove from the heat and allow to cool. The curd will keep for two weeks in the refrigerator.
Will feed 8.
I generally avoid poppy seeds at all costs, but when used wisely in baking, instead of just being liberally scattered over bread, they have much to offer. Light and fluffy, this is a lovely afternoon tea cake that’s also suitable for freezing. There are many variations on this classic recipe, with its interesting crunchy texture.
Orange and Poppy Seed Cake
185ml cream
1 tbsp poppy seeds
6 eggs
440g caster sugar
1 tsp salt
zest of an orange
340g plain flour
1 tsp baking powder
125g unsalted butter, melted
Icing
8 tbsp icing sugar
orange juice
extra poppy seeds
Preheat the oven to 180°C and grease a 24cm cake tin, lining the base with baking paper. Place the cream and poppy seeds in a bowl and set aside for 30 minutes. In the bowl of an electric mixer cream the eggs, sugar, salt and orange zest until pale, then stir in the cream mixture and beat until fluffy. Add the flour and baking powder, then the butter. Pour the mixture into the cake tin and bake for 45-55 minutes. Test with a skewer to see if it’s done – it should be moist inside. Leave the cake to settle for at least 20 minutes before inverting it onto a wire cake rack.
To make the icing, sieve the icing sugar into a bowl and stir in enough orange juice to achieve a consistency that allows the icing to run over the cake and dribble down the sides. Pour over the cake and sprinkle the poppy seeds over the top.
Enough for 8.
THIS may not be the sort of dessert to leave on the neighbours’ doorstep, but it’s definitely one to keep in mind for a special occasion. We have been serving this raspberry dessert at the restaurant for years, with great success. This has to be the easiest and most foolproof crème brûlée ever. It’s a bit of a cheat’s recipe, but who cares – the results are guaranteed.
Easy Raspberry and Almond Brûlée
250ml milk
4 egg yolks
60g caster sugar
2 tbsp cornflour
60g unsalted butter
300ml cream
2 punnets of raspberries
3 tbsp flaked almonds
icing sugar
Pour the milk into a saucepan and bring to the boil. In a bowl, whisk the egg yolks with the sugar and cornflour until pale and fluffy. Pour the hot milk into the bowl and mix well. Rinse the saucepan, pour the mixture back into it and place the saucepan back over a medium heat. Keep stirring until the mixture thickens and becomes velvety smooth. It will require rather vigorous beating, because the mixture becomes quite thick. Pour through a sieve into a clean bowl, leave to cool and dot the surface with the butter. Place a piece of plastic wrap onto the surface of the custard to prevent a skin forming, then set aside to cool.
Whip the cream to soft peaks, then gently fold into the custard. Half fill 6 individual ovenproof ramekin dishes with the custard, cover with a layer of raspberries, scatter the almonds over the top and cover with more custard, smoothing the top with a knife. Preheat a grill until very hot. Dredge the dishes thickly with icing sugar, then place under the grill until the top is golden brown. Serve immediately.
Serves 4.