The_Australian_Women_Weekly_Food_Issue_24_2017

AVA TORTE

OK TIME 1 HOUR 15 MINUTES

NG) SERVES 12

tter, softened
oon almond extract
220g) caster sugar
4eggs
⅓ cup (80ml) milk
1½ cups (225g) self−raising flour
½ cup (60g) ground almonds
1 cup (70g) slivered almonds
1 cup (140g) coarsely chopped
unsalted pistachios
1 cup (110g) coarsely chopped
walnuts
250g mascarpone
½ cup (125ml) thickened cream
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
candied lemon rind,
to serve

HONEY LEMON SYRUP
¾ cup (165g) caster sugar
¾cup (180ml) water
⅓ cup (115g) honey
5cm strip lemon rind
¼ cup (60ml) lemon juice

1 Preheat oven to 180°C/160°C
fan. Grease twodeep 22cm round cake
pans; line bases with baking paper.
2 Beat butter, almond extract and
sugar in a medium bowl with an
electric mixer until light and fluffy.
Beat in eggs, one at a time, until
combined. Stir in milk, sifted flour
and ground almonds, in two batches.
3 Divide mixture evenly between
pans; smooth surfaces. Top with
combined slivered almonds,
pistachios and walnuts, pressing
down lightly.
4 Bake cake for 35 minutes or until
a skewer inserted into the centre
comes out clean.
5 Meanwhile, make the honey
lemon syrup.
6 Using a skewer, pierce hot cakes
a few times, then drizzle ¼ cup of hot

3 Bake cake for 1 hour 10 minutes or

until a skewer inserted into the centre

comes out clean. Leave cake in pan

for 5 minutes before turning, top−side

up, onto a wire rack to cool.

4 Meanwhile,make chocolate icing.

5 Place cake on a platter; spread

icing on top. Decorate with white

chocolate shavings, if you like.

CHOCOLATE ICING

Bring cream to the boil in a small

saucepan. Remove pan from heat; add

milk and dark chocolate. Stand for

5 minutes. Stir mixture until smooth

and melted. If necessary, refrigerate

for 5 minutes until thickened slightly.

DO AHEAD

The chocolate cake can be made a day

ahead; store in an airtight container at

room temperature. Decorate on the

day of serving.

syrup over each hot cake. Cool cakes

in pans. Cool remaining syrup.

7 Combine mascarpone, cream and

cinnamon in a small bowl.

8 Place one cake on a cake stand or

plate; spread with mascarpone cream,

then top with remainingcake. Serve

cake topped with remaining syrup

and lemon rind.

HONEY LEMON SYRUP

Stir sugar, the water, honey and rind

in a small saucepan over medium

heat, without boiling, until sugar

dissolves. Bring to the boil. Remove

from heat; stir in juice.

LAZY CRAZY

CHOCOLATE CAKE

PREP + COOK TIME 1 HOUR 30 MINUTES

(+ COOLING) SERVES 8

2 cups (300g) self−raising flour

1 cup (220g) caster sugar

⅓ cup (35g) cocoa powder

1 cup (250ml) water

⅔ cup (160ml) whole−egg

mayonnaise

1½ teaspoons vanilla extract

CHOCOLATE ICING

½ cup (125ml) pouring cream

100gmilk chocolate, chopped coarsely

50g dark chocolate, chopped coarsely

1 Preheat oven to 160°C/140°C

fan. Grease a deep20cm round cake

pan; line base with baking paper.

2 Beat all of the ingredients in

a medium bowl with an electric

mixer on low speed until combined.

Increase the speed to medium; beat

until the mixture is smooth and paler

in colour. Pour the mixture into pan;

smooth surface.

Eat Out At Home

108

COOK’S

NOTES

LAZY CRAZY CHOCOLATE CAKE

Cocoa rather than chocolate

makes this afternoon tea cake

not too rich or heavy. For

a more chocolatey-tasting

cake, use dutch-processed

cocoa instead of regular

cocoa powder.

It’s important you use

whole-egg mayonnaise here

and not a low-fat variety.

Adding mayonnaise

to a cake is not quite as crazy

as it might sound when you

consider that the two main

ingredients are oil and eggs.