One basic gluten-free cake: pistachio macaron cake with elderflower apricots

Updated at: Thu, 15 Feb 2024 19:05:38 GMT

Step 1

Preheat the oven to 170°C fan. Grease a 25cm round tart tin and line with a piece of baking parchment large enough to cover the base and sides with a little bit of overhang (don’t worry if it’s not perfect). Use any extra butter to grease the top of the baking parchment as well.

Step 2

Put the slivered pistachios into a food processor and blitz until you have fine crumbs, roughly the size of couscous or fine bulgur wheat. It won’t be as smooth as the ground almonds. Put this, the ground almonds and salt into a large bowl and mix well to combine.

Step 3

Put the eggs, yolk, caster sugar and 2 teaspoons of the vanilla paste into the bowl of a stand mixer with the whisk attachment in place. Beat on medium-high speed for about 3–3½ minutes, until well aerated and light in colour. This’ll help develop the crackly crust you want. Using a spatula, fold in the lemon zest and pistachio mixture until just incorporated – don’t overmix it. Pour it into the prepared tart tin and sprinkle evenly with the flaked almonds. Place on a flat baking tray and bake for 35 minutes, until a skewer inserted through the centre comes out clean. Remove from the oven and let the cake cool completely in the tin.

Step 4

Meanwhile, prepare the apricots. Put the elderflower cordial, vanilla pod and seeds (or vanilla bean paste) and the lemon strips into a medium sauté pan over a medium-high heat. Cut out a piece of baking parchment roughly the size of the base of your pan. As soon as the mixture starts to bubble, turn the heat down to low. Add the apricots to the mixture, cut side up, and place the baking parchment on top, pressing gently to cover the surface. Cook for 3 minutes, then remove the baking parchment and gently turn over each of the apricots. Replace the parchment and cook for 2 minutes more, or until the apricots are soft but not falling apart. Timings will vary depending on the ripeness and size of your apricots, so if they need more time, cook them for a few minutes longer (up to 5 minutes more). Remove from the heat and gently transfer the apricots and everything else to a bowl. Refrigerate the mixture until nice and cold.

Step 5

When ready to serve, make the cream by putting it into the bowl of the stand mixer with the whisk attachment in place, along with the icing sugar and the remaining 1 teaspoon of vanilla paste (alternatively, do this in a bowl with a whisk and use your arm muscles!). Beat for 60–90 seconds, or until you have soft peaks. Transfer to a small serving bowl.

Step 6

Use the lining paper to lift the cake from its tin and place on a wooden board, with the paper attached. Pull away at the paper to expose the sides. Don’t worry if the cake cracks a little; this just adds to its rustic charm. Dust the surface with the extra icing sugar and serve with the cream and poached apricots alongside.

Step 7

NOTES Play around with different nuts here – walnuts and almonds would work nicely together – just be sure to keep all ratios the same.

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