Fig and Date Ricotta Cake

This week I have come by some exciting news for all you keen bakers out there. The BBC are running a new series and are looking for amateur bakers across the country to take part. The new series will be called The Great British Bake Off, you can find out more on the BBC website.

So we better get practicing with our baking skills. This week I have a delicious recipe for you from the TREE AID Cake Bake recipe booklet. This recipe is for a fig and date ricotta cake adapted from the Ricotta Cake in Antony Worrall Thompson’s ‘The Sweet Life’, and ‘GL Diet’, published by Kyle Cathie Ltd which you can buy in our bookshop. In this cake there are 5 tree ingredients; figs, dates, oranges, lemons and pine nuts.



Recipe

• Preheat the oven to 180ºC/356ºF or Gas Mark 4. Grease an 8 inch cake tin sparingly with vegetable oil.

• Place 250g (8 oz) of soft unsalted butter and 250g (8 oz) caster sugar in a large mixing bowl and, using a wooden spoon, cream until pale and fluffy.
  
  
• Separate 8 egg yolks into the mixture, one by one, beating well between each addition.

• Place the finely grated zest of 2 oranges and 3 lemons, into a separate mixing bowl and add 125g (5 oz) lightly roasted pine nuts, 200g (7 oz) of chopped dried dates, 200 g (7 oz) chopped dried figs and 275g (9 oz) ricotta and mix well together.
  
  
• Fold the butter and egg mix into the ricotta mixture and sift 75g (3 oz) plain fl our into this mix and combine.

• In a large bowl, using a whisk beat 2 of the egg whites into soft peaks. Fold in one large spoonful of egg whites into the ricotta mix. Once this is well mixed, carefully fold in the remainder, ensuring that you do not lose too much of the air.

• Pour the mixture into the greased cake tin and bake for about 45 minutes or until the tip of a knife inserted into the centre comes out clean.

• While the cake is cooling, put 125g (5 oz) sugar and 142ml (5 fl oz) water into a small saucepan over a medium heat and reduce. Add two sprigs of fresh rosemary and infuse.

• Spike the cooled cake all over with a fork and dribble with the rosemary syrup.

• Garnish with 25g (1 oz) of toasted pine nuts and the thin slices of a dried fig (fresh if you can get it) and sprigs of rosemary.

Antony’s tip: For diabetics substitute 100g (4 oz) of caster sugar for 4 tbsp of Splenda granulated sweetener.

So happy baking and enjoy.