FIG AND DATE RICOTTA CAKE

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Fig and Date Ricotta Cake image

Brilliant chef Antony Worrall Thompson has donated to TREE AID this delicious tree cake. Antony: "Villagers in Africa know all about foraging for food for free in their woodlands. Using the most nutritious of these foods could go a long way to reversing malnutrition. I want people to have fun cooking my tree cake and finding out about TREE AID's work to help villagers grow important food trees." Go to Treeaidcakebake.org to download your FREE recipe booklet and get baking for TREE AID!

Provided by treeaid

Time 1h15m

Yield Serves 6

Number Of Ingredients 15

250g (8 oz) of soft unsalted butter
250g (8 oz) caster sugar
8 eggs
2 oranges
3 lemons
125g (5 oz) roasted pinenuts
200g (7oz) of chopped dried dates
200 g (7oz) chopped dried figs
275g (9 oz) ricotta
75g (3 oz) plain flour
125g (5oz) sugar
125g (5oz) water
2 sprigs of fresh rosemary
1oz (25g) of toasted pine nuts
1oz (25g) dried fig (fresh if you can get it)

Steps:

  • Preheat the oven to 180C / Gas Mark 4. Grease a 12" x 2" / 30cm x 5cm spring form cake tin sparingly with vegetable oil.
  • Place the 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 the egg yolks into the mixture, one by one, beating well between each addition.
  • Place the finely grated zest of the oranges and lemons, into a separate mixing bowl and add 125g (5 oz) roasted pinenuts, the chopped dried dates, 200 g (7oz) chopped dried figs and the ricotta and mix well together.
  • Fold the butter and egg mix into the ricotta mixture and sift the plain flour into this mix and combine.
  • In a large bowl, using a whisk beat 2 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 (5oz) sugar and the water into a small saucepan over a medium heat and reduce. Add the sprigs of fresh rosemary and infuse.
  • Spike the cooled cake all over with a fork and dribble with the rosemary syrup.
  • Garnish with 1oz (25g) of toasted pine nuts, 1oz (25g) of thinly sliced dried fig and sprigs of rosemary.

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