GINA’S ORANGE CAKE
MAKES 6 PREP 20 MINS COOK 1 HOUR + COOLING
1 orange 85g unsalted butter, chopped ¹⁄ cup self-raising flour ¼ cup almond meal ¹⁄ cup caster sugar 1 egg ¹⁄ tsp baking powder edible flowers, to serve
ORANGE SYRUP
½ cup orange juice 2 tsp caster sugar 30g butter, cubed
ALMOND PRALINE
¼ cup blanched almonds, toasted ¼ cup caster sugar
CANDIED ORANGE PEEL
peel from reserved orange pieces ½ cup caster sugar ½ cup water
MASCARPONE CREAM
½ cup mascarpone 2 tsp icing sugar ½ vanilla bean, seeds scraped
ZABAGLIONE
5 egg yolks 2 tsp caster sugar 2 tsp marsala
1 Preheat oven to 160°C. Spray 6 mini bundt tins with oil.
2 Cut orange into thirds. Reserve two-thirds for candied orange peel.
3 In a food processor, pulse remaining orange third until roughly chopped. Add butter. Pulse until just combined. Add flour, almond meal, sugar, egg and baking powder. Pulse until thick. Divide mixture between tins, filling to three-quarters full. Bake 15-20 mins. Cool on a wire rack 10 mins, then invert. Cool completely. 4 ORANGE SYRUP In a saucepan, combine juice and sugar on medium. Simmer 3 mins until reduced by half. Remove from heat. Whisk in butter until smooth. Transfer to a small jug. Set aside. 5 ALMOND PRALINE Line an oven tray with baking paper. Arrange almonds on tray. In a saucepan, heat sugar on medium until melted. Cook 5 mins until golden. Pour toffee over almonds. Set aside to harden.
Break into pieces, then grind in a mortar and pestle until fine crumbs. Set aside. 6 CANDIED ORANGE PEEL Remove peel from reserved orange pieces, then remove pith. Finely slice peel lengthways into 12. In a small saucepan, heat sugar and water on low, stirring, until sugar dissolves. Add orange strips. Increase heat to high and simmer 10-12 mins. Set aside.
7 MASCARPONE CREAM In a bowl, combine ingredients. Set aside.
8 ZABAGLIONE In a heatproof bowl, over a saucepan of simmering water, combine ingredients, whisking until mixture doubles in size and is fluffy. Divide mixture between 6 small ramekins.
9 Spread mascarpone cream onto serving plates. Top each with an orange cake, candied orange peel, praline and edible flowers. Serve with zabaglione.