Candied clementine, fennel seed & polenta cake

Fennel seeds add a faintly anise back-note, and are often used in Italian cakes and biscuits. They match beautifully with citrus. The polenta gives the cake a pleasing grittiness. Try to find really good, juicy clementines.

SERVES 8-10

PREPARATION TIME 30 minutes, plus cooling

COOKING TIME about 1 hour 20 minutes

Grated zest and juice 5 tart clementines

3tbsp natural yogurt, plus extra to serve

FOR THE CANDIED CLEMENTINES 4 clementines

350g white granulated sugar FOR THE CAKE

250g unsalted butter at room temperature, plus extra to grease 250g white granulated sugar 4 medium eggs

190g 00’ or plain flour

150g polenta (or fine cornmeal) 2tsp fennel seeds, ground in a pestle and mortar, plus extra to decorate, optional

1tbsp baking powder

1 To candy the clementines, slice them into 2-3mm discs, put them in a pan and cover with 570ml water. Bring to boil, then drain and discard the water. Pour in the same amount of fresh water and repeat process. Add sugar and another 570ml fresh water. Put over low heat and cook gently for 40-60min, or until liquid is reduced and slices are soft, shiny and candied (keep an eye on them towards the end as they will catch and burn terrifyingly easily). Set aside to cool.

2 Preheat oven to 160°C (140°C fan) mark 3. Grease a 23cm cake tin with

butter and line with baking parchment. 3 For cake, in a mixing bowl using an electric whisk (or in bowl of a stand mixer), whisk butter and sugar with a pinch of salt until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one by one, mixing well between additions, until incorporated. Fold in flour, polenta, fennel seeds and baking powder. Mix zest and juice of clementines with yogurt and stir this into mixture. Spoon into prepared tin and bake for 50min, or until a skewer or spaghetti strand inserted into the centre of the cake comes out clean.

4 Leave to cool on a wire rack, then transfer to a serving plate and decorate with candied clementines and their syrup. Sprinkle with a few extra fennel seeds, if you like, and serve with a large dollop of yogurt.