TORTA DI DATTERI (Date cake)

Originally from North Africa, torta di datteri is a flavoursome cake with a substantial bite and a dense yet soft crumb. The recipe does not include any leavening agent, so the egg whites have to be whipped separately and gently folded into the batter to incorporate as much air as possible. The crunch of walnuts and almonds is a good match for the sticky and chewy texture of the dates, and the added nutty flavour is perfectly paired with the citrus undertones.

SERVES

PREP TIME BAKING TIME 33-35 MINUTES

UP TO 12 35 MINUTES FOR THE SPONGE

H 80g unsalted butter, plus extra for greasing

H 100g walnut pieces

H 100g whole almonds

H 40g cornflour

H 250g whole dates

H 1 tbsp clear honey

H zest of 1 unwaxed organic lemon

H zest of 1 unwaxed organic orange

H 40g freshly squeezed orange juice

H 60g egg yolk and 140g egg white (about 4 medium eggs), at room temperature

H 80g golden icing sugar

H 1 tsp vanilla bean paste

H ⅛ tsp salt

FOR THE DECORATION

H 35g egg white (about 1 medium egg white)

H 200g icing sugar

H 2-3 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice (about 1 lemon)

H 2-3 dates, pitted and sliced lengthways into slivers 1 Set the shelf in the lower half of the oven and preheat it to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Grease a 24cm, 2.5-litre bundt tin or a 23cm springform cake tin with butter and dust it with flour, tapping out the excess. Put the butter in a small microwave-safe bowl and melt it:

30-40 seconds should be enough. Set aside to cool.

2 Put the walnuts, almonds and cornflour in the bowl of a food processor and blitz to a coarse texture. Set aside. Stone and chop the dates into pea-sized pieces, then put in a medium bowl with the honey, lemon and orange zest, orange juice and melted butter. Stir well to combine.

3 Put the egg yolks, half the icing sugar and the

vanilla in another bowl, large enough to accommodate all the ingredients, and whisk at high speed with a handheld electric whisk (or use a stand mixer) until the mixture is pale and fluffy. It will take 3-4 minutes. Add the date mixture and the ground nuts to the bowl and fold in. Set aside.

4 Thoroughly wash and dry the whisk. Put the egg whites and salt in a clean bowl, preferably metal, ceramic or glass, and whisk at medium speed for about a minute or until the whisk leaves visible marks on the egg-white surface. Continue whisking and gradually add the remaining icing sugar to form a stiff but supple meringue; it will take about 2 minutes.

5 Spoon the meringue into the nut and date mixture in three goes, folding it in gently after each addition until no more white streaks are visible. Spoon or pour the batter into the greased tin. Bake for 33-35 minutes, until well browned and springy. Leave to cool in the tin for a few minutes, then turn it out on a wire rack to cool completely.

6 Once the cake has cooled, whisk the egg white, icing sugar and 1 tablespoon of the lemon juice for 3-4 minutes until the mixture is fluffy but still supple. Gradually stir in by hand 1-2 tablespoons of the remaining lemon juice until the icing is of a thick dropping consistency. Spoon or pour it sparingly over the top of the cake, allowing some to drip down the sides. You may not need all of the icing. Decorate the top with thin slivers of date. Torta di datteri keeps for up to 4 days under a cake dome.