Fig and Hazelnut Cake

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Alright, you caught me there. Those aren't figs, but both fruits have a whole load of crunchy black seeds, no? It was meant to be a luscious Fig and Hazelnut Cake from Bill Granger, but as a matter of convenience, I changed the fig to kiwi. The little drizzling of honey just before serving feliticiously cut through the tang of the kiwi. Though still delicious on the whole, I can imagine how much more delectable they'd be if made with figs instead.



I must admit, my reason for making this cake was a purely superficial one. I wanted to use the beautiful rectangle tart pan that I had purchased from The Pantry Magic (which I almost religiously drop in everytime I am in the area) at Chip Bee Gardens a while ago.

I almost always end up buying something when I'm there, and take my own time looking at things I've probably seen a thousand times before. The next thing on my list would be the gorgeous set of red salt and pepper grinder, tall and elegant, and absolutely fitting with my home decor.

I had half a day off yesterday and decided to warm my kitchen a little with some baking, almost immediately after I woke up at 11. I picked out May's issue of delicious, then flipped to the flagged page with a photo of the glorious, almost luminous cake. By 12pm, the cake was in the oven and would be taken out half an hour later.

After cooling, I sliced it up into 2 inch slices and wrapped them in some parchment paper, secured with a little ribbon, and distributed them to friends with a little note to drizzle with honey before eating. They were a hit and a great mid-day snack to have with some light, citrus tea. Such simple pleasures, such great times.

Fig and Hazelnut Cake

Serves 4-6

Bill Granger's recipe from delicious magazine (May 2007)

Ingredients

225g toasted hazelnuts (ground)

2 tsp orange zest

75 g plain flour

110g raw sugar

40g unsalted butter (and then some), melted

1 egg, plus 1 eggwhite

1 tbs marsala or other sweet wine

6 fresh figs

Honey, to drizzle

Whipped cream or mascarpone, to serve

Method

Preheat oven to 180 degrees celcius and grease a 10cmx34cm rectangular loose-bottomed tart pan.

Finely grind the hazelnuts in a food processor.

Add the flour, zest, sugar, butter, egg, eggwhite and marsala and process to combine.

Add 2 figs and pulse to roughly chop into the mixture, then spread in the tart pan.

Cut each remaining fig into six wedges and sit on top of the mixture, skin side down.

Bake for 40-45 minutes or until a skewer inserted in the centre comes out clean.

Cool slightly, then remove from pan.

Drizzle with honey just before serving with cream or mascarpone.