Anatomy of a dish: the orange-and-Campari cake at Saint, Johannesburg
David Higgs’ and Gary Kyriacou’s Italian-inspired restaurant Saint has had Sandton swooning over its dramatic décor, Neapolitan-style pizzas and stellar pastas since opening last year. Our hot tip? Save space for this knockout cake, too
The dessert is inspired by a cake that designer Irene Kyriacou used to bake for family occasions. The recipe has been tweaked slightly and spiked with Campari.
According to head pastry chef Rene Tissong, the secret is to pour the syrup (Campari, sugar and orange juice) over the cake as soon as it comes out of the oven.
The gelato is handmade in small batches with Campari and churned really slowly to a smooth texture. The recipe has to be very carefully balanced so that the Campari doesn’t freeze. As a finishing touch, crushed, lightly toasted pistachio nuts are sprinkled over the plate.
Instead of traditional flour, the recipe calls for a mix of semolina flour and ground almonds.
Sommelier
Wikus Human recommends a glass of dry rosé bubbles to pair with the cake. Keep it local with Le Lude or splash out with French BillecartSalmon Brut Rosé.