Persian Love Cake with Spiced Cherries and Rosewater
Persian Love Cake
240g ground almonds
150g soft brown sugar
150g castor sugar
80g soft butter
1 large egg
175g Greek yoghurt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
½ teaspoon ground mixed spice
Zest 1 orange ( keep the juice for the cherries)
50g coarsely chopped pistachios or flaked almonds
Grease and line an 8 inch cake tin with parchment paper. Set oven to 180oc.
Place the almonds, sugar and butter in a bowl and rub until the mixture resembles fine crumbs. Weigh out half this mixture and press it into the bottom of the cake tin.
Add the egg, yoghurt, cinnamon, nutmeg, spice and orange zest to the remaining dry mixture and mix to a smooth batter. Spoon into the tin on top of the pressed mixture and smooth off the top. Scatter the pistachios over the surface and bake for about 30 minutes or until golden and an inserted skewer comes out clean.
Spiced cherries and rosewater
300g frozen cherries
75g castor sugar
3 cardamom pods, pressed to open slightly
1 stick cinnamon
Juice 1 orange
2 tablespoons rosewater
Place cherries, sugar, cardamom, cinnamon and orange juice in a pan and cook until the juices are thick and syrupy. Add the rosewater.
Serve with the cake and a dollop of yoghurt or whipped cream.
