There is something a little magical about chain letters and parcels from strangers. Many moons had passed since I first signed up to join the Peoplehood of the Traveling Swirly Pan. So when my turn finally came around and the travelling swirly pan called 'Matilda' rocked up in the post, I couldn’t help but smile. It was so lovely to read the journal, full of tales and travels from around the world, with thoughtful memories and beautiful recipes scrawled by unfamiliar handwriting.
Orange rosemary raspberry cake
I have spent countless nights flicking through the What Katie Ate cookbook. I am not usually one for cake baking for I have been longing to recreate her stunning Blood orange and rosemary cake. Sadly, blood oranges don't come into season until later this year, so I improvised using navel oranges and raspberries. Here is my converted recipe which was created using my Thermomix TM31.
Cake
3 oranges, peeled, pith removed and cut into segments
5 sprigs rosemary, leaves picked
350 g unsalted butter, softened
330 g caster sugar
3 tsp Cointreau
5 eggs
450g plain flour
3 tsp baking powder
Syrup
Juice of 4 oranges
2 tbs caster sugar
Icing
Juice of 1 orange
100 g fresh raspberries
320 g icing sugar
Method
Preheat the oven to 180C. Grease Matilda with coconut oil.
Place orange segments and rosemary leaves into mixing bowl and chop 20 sec/speed 5. Set aside.
Place butter and sugar into mixing bowl and mix 20 sec/speed 5. Add Cointreau and mix 5 sec/speed 5.
Add eggs, flour and baking powder and mix 30 sec/speed 3 until well combined.
Pour cake batter into prepared Matilda and bake for 50-60 minutes or until the top is golden and a skewer inserted into the center comes out clean.
Place juice and sugar into clean and dry mixing bowl and heat 5 min/Varoma/speed 2.
Remove cake from oven, leave to cool and the transfer on to wire rack. Place a tray under the wire rack and then spoon the warm syrup over the cake and leave it to be absorbed. Leave cake to cool.
Place all icing ingredients into mixing bowl and blend 20 sec/speed 5. Leave to cool. Then drizzle over the cooled cake. Chill iced cake in fridge for 20 minutes. Sprinkle rosemary leaves over the cake before serving.