Wednesday, September 09, 2009

Hazelnut Cake with Apple Compote

One of the latest food programs that I absolutely love is the Hairy Bikers' Food Tour of Britain. I know people might be sceptical when it comes to the Hairy Bikers but in this program they are showcasing the best of Britain, the diversity of its counties and its amazing and varied produce.

In each episode they make a traditional dish of the county they are visiting and I've been busily jotting them down - a few have been wondrous excesses of butter and cream but it's a rather simple recipe that is the first that I've attempted.

I'm not in Kent and I don't have any cobnuts but that hasn't stopped me from making this Kentish Cobnut Cake - hazelnuts fill in nicely for their relatives and I've taken a few liberties with the method but ultimately, it proved a most satisfying discovery.


hazelnut cake© by Haalo



Melbourenish Hazelnut Cake

450 grams self-raising flour
1 tablespoon ground ginger
225 grams soft brown sugar
6 eggs, lightly beaten
250 grams butter, melted and cooled
100mls cream
150 grams ground hazelnuts


Sift the flour, ginger and soft brown sugar into the bowl of a stand mixer. Add the lightly beaten eggs and beat slowly while pouring in the melted butter. When this has just mixed together, add the cream and ground hazelnuts and beat until amalgamated.

Butter and flour a large loaf pan and scoop in the batter - smooth out the surface with a palate knife.

Bake in a preheated 170°C/320°F oven until golden and cooked through - this should take about 1 to 1½ hours. If you feel that the top is browing too quickly, cover with foil and lower the oven temperature.

Cool for 5 minutes in the tin before turning out onto a wire rack. Finish off with a dusting with icing sugar.




hazelnut cake© by Haalo


In the program they made an accompaniment of apple compote - diced apples cooked in butter, caster sugar and cinnamon until they have just started to soften and the sugars have begun to caramelise.

Thick slices of hazelnut cake are served topped with thick cream and this warm sweet and fragrant compote.




hazelnut cake with cream and apple compote© by Haalo

It's rather decadent but one bite will surely make you a believer too!




hazelnut cake with cream and apple compote© by Haalo



6 comments

  1. Oh how I adore that show! Wish BBC America would show it so I didn't have to huddle in front of my laptop and watch middling quality You Tube versions.
    Ah well.

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  2. This looks really delicious! Hopefully BBC America will pick it up soon (or Food Network, or FLN). A lot of people over here don't realize that there ARE regional variations in British cuisine.

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  3. Oh, baby.
    I've seen AN episode of The Hairy Bikers; I don't know if they show it in Scotland anymore, but I saw that episode on an airplane... and it was on bread baking. I'd love to see more, especially the episode where they make this!! I don't even know what a cobnut is (I know so little of what British people are talking about foodwise) but man, does this look tasty. I'll have to try it with almonds, hazelnuts or cashews, or a blend of the three.

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  4. the cake alone is good but with the cream and compote sounds amazing - have never got into the hairy bikers but this makes me think I might like some of their food

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  5. Love the idea of hazlenuts - nice digression from the usual almond meal.

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  6. Jo - It's a great show even if all you have is Youtube!

    Thanks Fearless - it's been a great education.

    Thanks Tanita - cobnuts are a type of hazelnut, I always thought they were hazelnuts but there's a difference. It's a perfect tea time cake.

    Thanks Johanna - I think you'd be surprised by just how much of their food is really good.

    Thanks Mish - I just adore hazelnuts so any excuse to use them and I'm there

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