Turkish delight loaf cake
The pomegranate molasses adds a fruity tang that balances the sweetness of this rich chocolate sponge.
CUTS INTO 10 SLICES PREP 35min, plus cooling COOK about 55min FOR THE CAKE
• 75g unsalted butter, chopped, plus extra to grease
• 150g dark chocolate (70% cocoa solids), chopped
• 2tsp instant coffee granules
• 75g vegetable oil
• 100ml soured cream
• 175g light brown soft sugar
• 3 medium eggs
• 175g self-raising flour
• 3tbsp cocoa powder
FOR THE ROSE BUTTERCREAM
• 250g unsalted butter, softened
• 250g icing sugar, sifted
• 2tbsp pomegranate molasses or lemon juice
• 1tsp rose water
• Pink food colouring, optional
TO DECORATE
• 150-200g Turkish delight
• 15g pistachio kernels, roughly chopped
• Fresh or dried rose petals or buds, optional
1 Preheat oven to 180°C (160°C fan) mark 4 and lightly grease and line a 900g loaf tin with baking parchment.
2 For the cake, in a large heatproof bowl set over a pan of simmering water, melt butter, chocolate and coffee, stirring occasionally, until smooth. Remove bowl from heat and stir in oil, followed by soured cream. Whisk in sugar, then eggs. Sift in flour, cocoa powder and a pinch of salt and stir until smooth.
3 Turn mixture into lined tin and bake for 45-50min, or until a skewer inserted in centre comes out almost clean. Do not overbake, as this will make it dry. Leave to cool in tin for 30min; transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. 4 When cake is cool, make buttercream. Using a freestanding mixer or a handheld electric whisk, beat butter and ½ the icing sugar in a large bowl until completely smooth. Add remaining icing sugar, pomegranate molasses or lemon juice and rose water and beat until light and fluffy. Add food colouring, if using, to dye to a bright pink.
5 To assemble, slice cake in ½ horizontally and roughly chop a few pieces of Turkish delight. Spread ⅓ of the buttercream on top of bottom layer of cake and arrange chopped Turkish delight on top. Lay on top layer of cake. Using a 17mm open star piping nozzle, pipe (or spread) remaining buttercream on top and decorate with remaining whole Turkish delight, pistachios and rose petals or buds, if using. Serve in slices.
PER SERVING: CALS 721; FAT 42G; SAT FAT 22G; CARBS 79G
MAKES ABOUT 40 PREP 25min, plus cooling, chilling, and setting COOK about 20min
• 100g pistachio kernels
• 100g butter, softened
• 100g caster sugar
• 100g plain flour
FOR THE FILLING
• 75g dark chocolate (at least 70% cocoa solids), chopped
1 Preheat oven to 180°C (160°C fan) mark 4. Scatter pistachios on a small baking tray and toast in oven for 5min; cool.
2 Blitz pistachios in a food processor until finely ground. Add butter and sugar; blitz until creamy. Add flour and pulse until dough clumps together, then tip on to a work surface and bring together with your hands. Wrap and chill for 1hr.
3 Line 2 large baking sheets with baking parchment. Pinch off 5g pieces of chilled dough and roll into balls.
Place on lined baking sheets, spacing slightly apart. Chill for 30min.
4 Reheat oven to 180°C (160°C fan) mark 4 and bake biscuits for 12-15min, or until lightly golden around edges. Leave to cool completely on trays.
5 For filling, melt chocolate in a heatproof bowl set over a pan of barely simmering water. Sandwich 2 cooled biscuits together at their bases using melted chocolate. Repeat until all biscuits are sandwiched. Leave to set before serving.
PER BACI: CALS 63; FAT 4G; SAT FAT 2G; CARBS 6G