STICKY ORANGE AND PISTACHIO CAKE

This wonderfully moist, gluten-free cake has bitter flavours reminiscent of marmalade.

Serves: 12-14

Preparation time: 30 minutes, plus cooling

Cooking time: about 3 hours 15 minutes

2 medium oranges (about 400g)

Oil, to grease

200g pistachio kernels, plus extra to decorate 175g caster sugar, plus 1tbsp

6 large eggs

50g clear honey

100g coarse polenta

1tsp gluten-free baking powder

For the topping

100g caster sugar

75g clear honey

2 oranges – slice off ends, cut into 3mm slices

1 Bring a large pan of water to the boil, add the oranges and turn down the heat. Cover the pan and simmer the oranges for 2hr.

2 Remove oranges with a slotted spoon and allow to cool. Halve the fruit and remove any pips. Put oranges (skin included) into a food processor or blender and whizz until smooth.

3 Meanwhile, make the topping: in a large frying pan, melt the sugar and honey in 100ml water over low heat. Add orange slices in roughly a single layer, turn up heat and simmer for 10min (turning once), or until tender – but don’t allow them to caramelise. Set aside.

4 Preheat the oven to 180°C (160°C fan) mark 4. Grease and line a 23cm springform tin. Put the pistachios on to a baking tray and toast for 5min. Add to a food processor with 1tbsp sugar and whizz until very finely chopped.

5 In a large bowl, beat together the sugar, eggs and honey until thick and pale, then fold in the pistachios, polenta and baking powder, followed by the purée, until well combined.

6 With a slotted spoon, arrange the orange slices in the tin. Reserve syrup in the pan for later. Spoon cake batter over and bake for about 45-50min, or until a skewer inserted only has a few moist crumbs. Cool in the tin.

7 Release the cake from the tin, invert on to a plate and remove baking parchment. Gently reheat the syrup and boil for 1min if it needs to be thickened. Allow to cool a little. Drizzle over and scatter with the extra chopped pistachios.