The sponge layers of this cake are very light as they don’t contain fat or raising agents, the rise is achieved purely by the whipping of air into the eggs. This is a very quick and simple cake to make and its merit is directly proportional to the quality of ingredients you use to make it. Ensure you use the freshest possible organic eggs, duck eggs if you can get them. Recipe by Kate Packwood.
For the sponge:
6 large organic eggs
180g caster sugar
180g plain organic flour, sieved
For the filling:
500ml organic cream (preferably Irish single-estate, such as Mossfield)
1-2tbsp good quality rose water (to taste)
4 heaped tbsp raspberry jam
2 punnets of raspberries
75g shelled pistachios
Dried rose petals (I use Steenberg’s organic)
Stand mixer
3 x 22cm diameter cake tins
Sieve
These are a classic choux pastry dessert that are rescued from 80s campness by the addition of an elegant Earl Grey tea crème pâtissière and a decadent bitter dark chocolate glaze infused with tonka beans. Served with honey glazed fresh figs these make for a glorious dessert. Recipe by Kate Packwood.
A cake is a romance of flavours and when the colours match the rainbow, then its’ a cake to be proud of… Kate Packwood and her Wild Flour Bakery have become famous for showstoppers just like this one.
The smokiness of these cakes is achieved using lapsang souchong tea, which is a fully fermented black tea smoked over pine wood fires. This smoky flavoured tea is used to infuse the cream to make the caramel and also to make the sweet smoky syrup with which you soak the sponge layer of the cake. The smokiness is balanced by the aromatic freshness of the pear, and the nutty dark chocolate pulls these contrasting flavours together. The base is rich and fudgy, the sponge is extremely moist and the topping is sticky and crunchy. Recipe by Kate Packwood.