For the finale of our Summer Solstice feast Deborah made this cake from Crazy Water, Pickled Lemons by Diana Henry. With classic Middle Eastern flavours it was a perfect way to end the meal.
For the biscuit base, bash 150g (5 ½oz) of sweet biscuits and 55g (2oz) blanched almonds together in a plastic bag using a rolling pin. You should end up with quite a textured mixture. Melt 75g (2¾oz) of butter and mix it with the ground nuts and biscuits. Lightly grease a 22cm (8½”) spring-form tin and line it with baking paper. Press the biscuit and butter mixture into this and put it in the fridge to firm up for an hour or so. Meanwhile, in a bowl, mix together 500g (1lb 2oz) of Greek Yoghourt, 500ml (18 fl oz) of crème fraiche, 120ml (8 tablespoons) of honey (orange blossom honey would be ideal), 2 teaspoons of orange flower water and the grated rind of 1 orange. Juice the orange into a small saucepan and sprinkle over 1 sachet of powdered gelatine. Allow it to bloom for 5 minutes then melt it over very low heat. Pour it onto the yoghurt mixture and quickly stir it through. Now pour the entire mixture on top of the biscuit base and refrigerate until set (allow at least 5 hours, preferably a day or two). For the oranges in syrup, heat 175ml (6 fl oz) of orange juice, the juice of 1 lime, 100ml (3½ fl oz) of water, 120ml (4¼ fl oz) of runny honey and the crushed seeds of 8 cardamom pods. Bring to the boil, stirring from time to time, and cook for about 5 minutes until the mixture is quite syrupy. Set aside to cool. Remove the peel and as much pith as possible from 4 oranges, and either segment or finely slice them, placing them in a shallow serving dish. Pour the cooled honey syrup over the top. To serve the cake, remove from the tin and scatter with 60g (2¼ oz) of chopped pistachios. Serve with the oranges.
michelle picker cooks 