Honey, orange and walnut cake
Here’s the honey, orange and walnut cake which is based on one I made in San Francisco long ago
Ingredients:
60g small walnut pieces.
40g larger walnut pieces/halves.
3 Dessert spoons honey.
1 orange, zest and juice.
2 Dessert spoons honey.
3 eggs, weighed.
Same weight butter.
Same weight honey.
Same weight self-raising flour.
Method:
Dry toast the small walnut pieces in a pan and set aside.
Dry toast the larger walnut pieces then add 3 dessert spoons honey and continue heating until the honey caramelises (70C). Remove the nuts and set out on a plate to avoid sticking and allow to cool.
Zest the orange and set aside the zest, placing the juice from the orange in a pan with 2 dessert spoons honey.
Heat the juice and honey but keep below 70C. Set aside the syrup to cool.
Whisk the butter, honey
and orange zest until light and fluffy.
Whisk in the eggs, one at a time with a teaspoon of the flour with each.
Fold in the remaining flour and small toasted walnut pieces.
Place in a 1lb lined silicone loaf mould.
Bake in a preheated oven at 180C, Gas 4, 355F for 45-50 minutes (the inner temperature should reach 95C). The A “crack” on the top is normal.
While the loaf is still warm, prick the top with a cocktail stick and spoon over the syrup.
Place the caramelised walnut pieces on top, using a little honey to stick if needed.
Allow the loaf to cool further before turning out.
(The caramelised nut topping is optional depending on time)