Italian Carrot and Almond Cake with Oranges in Caramel

Mirj's Note:

I saw this cake made on one of my favorite cooking shows, the BBC's Friends for Dinner. It's by Chef Antony Worrall Thompson, a great cook with a fantastic sense of humor. I just had to get the recipe! I haven't made this cake yet, but plan to do so for the High Holidays coming up.

• Total Time: 2 hrs
• Prep Time: 1 hrs
• Cook Time: 1 hrs

Ingredients:

Servings: 8

For the Oranges in Caramel

• 1 ½ lbs caster sugar
• 2 quarts water
• 4 oranges, zest of (use from the oranges below)
• 8 oranges

For the Carrot and Almond Cake

• 4 large free range egg yolks
• 8 ounces sugar
• lemon, zest of
• 1 teaspoon almond essence
• 8 ounces carrots , finely grated
• 8 ounces whole almonds , ground
• 1 tablespoon self-raising flour
• 4 egg whites , stiffly whipped with a pinch of salt
• pine nuts (optional)
• icing sugar
• creme fraiche , to serve

Directions:

1. First prepare the oranges in caramel: carefully peel the oranges, removing as much of the white pith as possible.
2. Cut into slices about 1/2 inch thick on the horizontal.
3. Then stick back together and secure with a cocktail stick or toothpick.
4. Bring the sugar and 1 quart of water to the boil, add the orange zest and continue to boil until the sugar starts to caramelise, it will begin to turn a golden brown color.
5. Immediately remove the pan from the heat and very carefully add the remaining water, (the mixture might spit, so be careful).
6. Pour a little of the caramelized syrup into a jug and set aside (this will be used for soaking into the top of the cooked cake).
7. Using a slotted spoon, place the oranges in the caramel and boil covered for about 1 hour.
8. Remove the oranges, from the syrup and continue to heat the syrup until it has reduced by half.
9. Place the oranges back into the caramel until ready to use.
10. To make the cake: pre-heat the oven to 350 degrees F.
11. Beat the yolks, sugar, lemon rind and almond essence thoroughly together.
12. Mix in the carrots, almonds and flour.
13. Fold in the whites gently with a metal spoon.
14. Line a 2 inch pan, about 38 inches in diameter, with greaseproof paper.
15. Put in the cake mixture.
16. Carefully place eight slices of caramelized orange in a circle over the top of the cake.
17. Sprinkle pine nuts over the top if using and place in the oven.
18. To test whether the cake is cooked, carefully insert a clean skewer into the cake- if it comes out clean then the cake is cooked.
19. When cooked remove from the oven and place onto a cake rack to cool slightly.
20. Using a cocktail stick or fork pierce several holes into the cake and pour a little of the caramelized orange syrup over the top of the cake, the cake will soak up all the syrupy juices.
21. To serve, cut a slice of the cake- ensuring each slice has a caramelised orange slice on top.
22. Place a caramelized orange by the side, pour over a little extra syrup and add a dollop of crème fraîche.