The Times Magazine - UK (2022-04-30)

58 The Times Magazine

have been eating Biscoff,

those simple cinnamon-

spiced biscuits, for as long

as I can remember. My

dad used to serve them

alongside Irish coffee for his

customers at the restaurant

and they felt particularly

special back then, as they came

individually wrapped and you

only ever got one.

I forgot about them

completely until I was away in

Belgium and they were served

alongside my hot drink, and that

gentle spice brought back all sorts

of warm memories. Then, a few

years ago, the food world took

to them in a big way and they

started cropping up everywhere

• in puddings, in crêpes, in cakes,
  and soon as a spread you could
  serve on toast.
  You might think that means it
  is all over for Biscoff, that we have
  reached saturation point, but let
  me tell you, not if I can help it.
  I want it to stay around for ever.
  So here’s my contribution to
  Biscoff’s immortality. This cake
  has cinnamon in the batter to
  enhance the subtle spice flavour,
  Biscoff spread rippled through
  it, a Biscoff buttercream on top
  and, as a final flourish, the biscuits
  themselves as decorations. Over
  the top? Never!

BISCOFF LOAF CAKE

Serves 6- 8

For the cake

• 200g unsalted butter, softened


• 200g soft brown sugar


• 4 medium eggs


• 200g self-raising flour, sieved


• ½ tsp ground cinnamon
  MARK HARRISON• 3 tbsp smooth Biscoff spread

Eating in

Nadiya Hussain

This cinnamon-spiced

cake, topped with

Biscoff biscuits, is

a moreish delight

To decorate

• 100g unsalted butter, softened


• 50g smooth Biscoff spread,
  plus extra for drizzling


• 200g icing sugar, sieved


• 6 Biscoff biscuits

1. Start by preheating the oven
   to 170C (190C non-fan). Line and
   grease the base and sides of a
   900g loaf tin.


2. Add the softened butter to a
   bowl with the sugar and whisk
   until the mixture is almost white
   in colour and has doubled in size.
   This can take up to 5 minutes.


3. Add the eggs one at a time,
   whisking well in between, and
   then add the sieved flour and
   ground cinnamon. Whisk for
   2 minutes until you have a
   smooth, fluffy cake batter.


4. Gently warm the Biscoff
   spread in the microwave or,
   equally gently, in a pan until
   it is slightly runny. Drizzle into
   the cake batter and gently fold
   through so you have ripples.


5. Spoon the batter into the
   prepared cake tin and level off
   the surface. Bake in the oven for
   40-45 minutes, until a skewer
   inserted comes out clean. Take
   out and leave to cool in the tin
   for 20 minutes, then remove
   and leave to cool completely
   on a wire rack.


6. Meanwhile make the icing by
   adding the soft butter and Biscoff
   spread to a bowl with the icing
   sugar and whisk until you have
   a smooth icing mixture. Pop into
   a piping bag and pipe dollops of
   the icing on top.


7. Lay the biscuits upright across
   the top and drizzle over a little
   more Biscoff spread.

I want Biscoff biscuits to stay around for ever

• so here’s my contribution to their immortality

I

You can find all of Nadiya

Hussain’s recipes for The Times

at thetimes.co.uk