TOFFEED TAMARILLO UPSIDE DOWN CAKE

SERVES 8

Garnet-red tamarillos, with their deep, fruity flavour and touch of acidity, brighten the winter fruit tray, being available from late autumn to the beginning of spring. The tropical fruit is actually related to the tomato and potato, and grows well here. Poached tamarillos left immersed in the sweet cooking liquid will absorb the colour from the skin, the flesh becoming intensely ruby-red while remaining firm, making them a really special fruit to cook with. Their unique taste marries well with star anise, cinnamon, orange, vanilla, ginger and, as here, with toffee hidden under an almond-rich cake batter that benefits from being served hot with crème anglaise or pouring cream.

TAMARILLOS AND TOFFEE

Grated rind and juice 1 orange 2 cups water

¾ cup sugar

5-6 tamarillos

ALMOND CAKE

250g butter, softened 1 cup caster sugar

4 eggs

½ cup flour

½ tsp baking powder 1½ cups ground almonds

1 Bring the orange juice, water and ½ cup of the sugar to the boil, stirring until the sugar dissolves (the orange rind will be used in the cake batter). Make a small cut – only skin-deep – in the base of each tamarillo and add to the syrup. Poach gently for 5 minutes. Turn off and allow the tamarillos to cool for 2-3 hours in the liquid. Peel and halve lengthwise, discarding the stems.

2 Preheat the oven to 200°C. Grease the sides of a 23-24cm round cake tin and line the base with baking paper.

3 Sprinkle the remaining ¼ cup of sugar evenly over the base of the prepared cake tin. Transfer to the preheated oven and cook for 4-5 minutes or until the sugar has melted to a golden toffee.

4 Remove from the oven – it is okay if the toffee sets hard at this stage. Place the halved tamarillos cut-side down on the toffee. Lower the oven temperature to 180°C.

5 Beat the butter, caster sugar and orange rind well until light and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time, beating very well after each addition. Sift the flour and baking powder together and fold into the creamed mixture with the ground almonds.

6 Spoon the cake mixture on top of the tamarillos.

7 Bake in the oven for 40-45 minutes or until the cake is golden and has shrunk slightly from the sides of the tin. Cool in the tin for 5-10 minutes before turning out onto a serving platter.

8 Serve with crème anglaise or pouring cream.

“A winter crumble is easily given a makeover by including rhubarb and raspberries”