The Poultry Keeper

Heather

Clementine Cake by Nigella

Another fixed item in my Christmas repertoire is my clementine cake. This is suitable for any number of reasons. First, it's made of the clementines which are seasonal. Then there's the fact that you need to cook them for 2 hours: you're more likely to be hanging around the house and to feel in the mood for this sort of thing during the Christmas period. It's incredibly easy to make; even if you're stressed out, it won't topple you over into nervous collapse. And, finally, it's such an accommodating kind of cake: it keeps well, indeed it gets better after a few days, and it is perfect either as a pudding, with some crème fraiche, or as cake to be eaten with seasonally sociable visitors in the mid-morning or afternoon. What more do you want?

It was only after I did this a few times - the route it took to get to me was circuitous, as these things can be - that I realised it was more or less Claudia Roden's orange and almond cake.

It is a wonderfully damp, dense and aromatic flourless cake: it tastes like one of those sponges you drench, while cooling, with syrup, only you don't have to. This is the easiest cake I know.

4-5 clementines (about 375g total weight)

6 eggs

225g sugar

250g ground almonds

1 heaped teaspoon baking powder

Put the clementines in a pan with some cold water, bring to the boil and cook for 2 hours. Drain and, when cool, cut each clementine in half and remove the pips. Dump the clementines - skins, pith, fruit and all - and give a quick blitz. Then tip in all the remaining ingredients and pulse to a pulp. Preheat the oven to gas mark 5/190ºC. Butter and line a 21cm Springform tin.

Pour the cake mixture into the prepared tin and bake for an hour, when a skewer will come out clean; you'll probably have to cover with foil or greaseproof after about 40 minutes to stop the top burning. Remove from the oven and leave to cool, on a rack, but in the tin. When the cake's cold, you can take it out of the tin. I think this is better a day after it's made, but I don't complain about eating it any time.

I've also made this with an equal weight of oranges, and with lemons, in which case I increase the sugar to 250g and slightly anglicise it, too, by adding a glaze made of icing sugar mixed to a paste with lemon juice and a little water.

Lisa · Posted: Wed Jan 04, 2006 2:26 pm Post subject:

LOL!! And I thought it was going to be meringue!! Embarassed

That's just what I need - I seem to have a bit of a back log of eggs lately, since no longer being veggie.

Your description sold it to me... think I've read something simillar before but wasn't convinced by just reading the ingredients.

But... nooooooooooooooooooooo, I don't have any clementines Sad

And I've only just got back from the shops.

Oh well - tomorrow then and I'll let you know how it goes Razz

Heather · Posted: Wed Jan 04, 2006 2:37 pm Post subject:

not my description - Nigella's ( we are not worthy) notworthy

When I first got How to Eat I sat down and read it like a novel !!!

fluffly_fifer · Joined: 02 Oct 2005 Posts: 411 Location: Fife, Scotland

Hmmmm could just be in time for youngest's birthday cake for tomorrow. Rolling Eyes

Knobby · Posted: Thu Jan 05, 2006 8:42 am Post subject:

Ive made that twice now (A long time ago) Its lovely !!! Very Happy

Heather · Posted: Thu Jan 05, 2006 10:18 am Post subject:

Wow ! it really must be if you like it , being that you don't like sweet things and all .

thewinkingtiger · Joined: 31 Aug 2005 Posts: 936 Location: East Yorkshire, UK

Couldn't resist having a go at this one!
Have got one in the oven right now. Can't wait to see how it turns out.
Thanks for the recipe Heather.

Debs

Lisa · Posted: Fri Jan 06, 2006 5:23 pm Post subject:

How did it turn out Debs?

Right, I've bought the clementines, will cook then this evening and leave to get cold overnight and make the cake tomorrow.

So my next question for you, my fellow chefs, is:

I've got a big bag of whole, shelled almonds that I though I'd use (got a grinder), but, do you think I should blanch them first and remove the skins? Or just grind them with the skins on?

thewinkingtiger · Joined: 31 Aug 2005 Posts: 936 Location: East Yorkshire, UK

It came out brill Lisa!
It tastes delicious and has the texture similar to a curd tart.
Not sure on the almond question though - I'm not a chef!!!

thewinkingtiger · Joined: 31 Aug 2005 Posts: 936 Location: East Yorkshire, UK

Hey Lisa!
Did you make your cake?
How did it turn out?

Debs

Lisa · Posted: Sun Jan 08, 2006 2:07 am Post subject:

not yet. Clementines are cooked and waiting for me in the fridge. Just got to skin all these almonds so I get baking Laughing

thewinkingtiger · Joined: 31 Aug 2005 Posts: 936 Location: East Yorkshire, UK

It's easier to go to tescos and get ground ones!!!!
I could only find packets of 200g though Sad

It will be well worth waiting for!!!
I do not cook or bake = but my parents came round today and had some of my cake and even asked for the recipe!!!

SUCCESS - YEAH!!!

Debs

milkmaid · Joined: 19 Apr 2005 Posts: 7347 Location: isle of lewis

thanks for that heather,it was lovely had it for pudding today ,another one to give to kerri's school for coffee afternoons
thanks again and can tell my cousin ,he can't eat anything with flour in it
suz