CAKESPECTACULAR

"Pistachio and rosewater cake with plums and mascarpone"

INGREDIENTS:

220g pistachio nuts
5 large eggs, separated
300g caster (superfine) sugar
grated zest of 1 lemon
1 tsp rosewater
6 plums, halved, stones removed
½ lemon
250g mascarpone cheese
300ml thin (pouring) cream
2 tbsp icing (confectioners’) sugar

PROCEDURE:

1.Preheat the oven to 160C. Grease a 24 cm springform cake tin and line the base with baking paper. Line a roasting tin with baking paper.

2.Lightly toast the pistachios in a frying pan over medium heat. Allow to cool, then coarsely chop the nuts until they are about the size of rock salt granules.

3.Using an electric mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, whisk the egg whites until firm peaks form. Transfer to another bowl.

4.Add the egg yolks and 200g of the caster sugar to the mixer bowl (there’s no need to clean it) and whisk until fluffy and creamy. Fold in half the chopped pistachios, then fold in the egg whites, the remaining pistachios, lemon zest and rosewater. Don’t overfold the mixture as you want to keep it as aerated as possible.

5.Pour into the prepared cake tin and bake for 30–35 minutes, until the cake is lightly firm to the touch but cooked through. Remove from the oven and set aside to cool in the tin.

 Hummus and Co by Michael Rantissi and Kristy Frawley (Murdoch Books RRP $49.99/£20) Photograph: Murdoch Books

6.Increase the oven temperature to 180C. Put the plum halves in the prepared roasting tin and sprinkle with the remaining caster sugar and squeeze over the lemon juice. Roast for 10–12 minutes, until slightly tender.

7.Just before serving, whisk the mascarpone, cream and icing sugar until soft peaks form.

8.Remove the cake from the tin and spread the mascarpone cream over the top. Add the plums and drizzle with the cooking juices.