PRUE’S LEMON & THYME BUNDT
This is no ordinary lemon sponge. Combining lemon juice with thyme gives the bundt a heady, botanical quality. Don’t hold back on the thyme – the recipe calls for a lot, and (because of it) the results are out of this world.
YOU WILL NEED 23cm 10-cup bundt tin ■ 1 baking sheet, lined with baking paper
SERVES 12 HANDS ON 1 HOUR BAKE 40 MINS
FOR THE SPONGE
325g unsalted butter, cubed and softened, plus extra melted for greasing
325g caster sugar
5 eggs
325g self-raising flour
1tsp baking powder
Finely grated zest of 3 unwaxed lemons
4tbsp thyme leaves
Juice of 1 lemon
FOR THE LEMON-THYME SYRUP
Juice of 2 lemons
100g caster sugar A small bunch of thyme
FOR THE CRYSTALLISED LEMON AND THYME
1 unwaxed lemon
100g caster sugar, plus extra for sprinkling
1 egg white, beaten
5 thyme sprigs
FOR THE ICING
150g icing sugar Juice of ½ a lemon
Make the sponge
Heat the oven to 180°C/fan 160°C/gas 4. Generously grease the bundt tin with melted butter, making sure you brush it between the grooves to prevent the sponge sticking when you turn it out. Beat the butter and sugar in a stand mixer fitted with a beater, on medium speed for 3-5 minutes, scraping down the inside of the bowl from time to time, until the mixture is pale and creamy. One at a time, add the eggs, beating well between each addition, and adding a spoonful of the flour if the mixture starts to curdle.
Sift the flour and baking powder into the bowl and mix on a low speed until combined. Add the lemon zest and thyme leaves and mix until combined. Stir in the lemon juice to give a thick dropping consistency.
Spoon the mixture into the prepared bundt tin and, using a spatula, gently push the batter into the grooves and up the sides of the tin, then smooth the top. Tap the tin on the work surface to release as many air bubbles as possible. Bake the sponge for 3540 minutes, until risen and golden, and a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean.
Make the lemon-thyme syrup
While the sponge is baking, pour the lemon juice into a small pan, add the sugar and bring to the boil. Add the thyme, turn the heat down slightly and simmer for 10 minutes, until the liquid has reduced to a syrup consistency. Pass the syrup through a sieve into a bowl and leave it to cool. Discard the thyme.
Make the crystallised lemon
Using a potato peeler, peel the lemon in strips, running from top to bottom, then cut the lemon peel into matchsticks. Place the peel in a small pan, cover with water and bring the water to the boil. Immediately remove the pan from the heat and pass the water through a sieve. Tip the lemon matchsticks back into the pan and repeat the boiling and draining process once more to get rid of any bitterness in the peel.
Place the drained lemon matchsticks in a pan with the 100g caster sugar and 100ml water and bring to the boil. Turn the heat down slightly and simmer for 15 minutes, until the peel strips are translucent and soft. Pass through a sieve, then spread the strips out on the lined baking sheet and sprinkle them with sugar. Toss to coat each piece of peel in sugar.
Make the crystallised thyme
Pour the egg white into a shallow dish and lay the thyme sprigs in it. One by one, remove the sprigs and wipe them almost dry with kitchen paper. Place them next to the lemon peel and sprinkle with sugar. Leave the sheet in a warm place for the thyme and lemon peel to dry and crystallise for at least 2-3 hours.
Meanwhile, remove the bundt from the oven and leave it to cool in the tin for 5 minutes, then turn it out onto a wire rack.
While the sponge is still warm, use a thin skewer to prick holes over the surface and brush with the lemon-thyme syrup. Be patient and allow the syrup to sink into the sponge before adding more, then leave the bundt to cool completely.
Make the icing
Sift the icing sugar into a bowl and add enough lemon juice to mix to a stiff, but pourable icing (you may not need all the juice). Spoon the icing over the bundt cake, leaving it to drip down the ridges, and then decorate with the crystallised lemon and thyme.