GLUTEN-FREE CHOCOLATE, DATE AND ORANGE MARMALADE CAKE
Our Chocolate, Date and Orange Marmalade Cake uses meringue as its base and is enriched with dates and chocolate and flavoured with orange marmalade.
Sounding a bit unusual? Not really, chocolate and orange make a great marriage and the dates …. well they add texture and a complex sweetness.
Not a fan of orange marmalade? Then try whatever marmalade you have in the pantry as long as it’s not too sweet.
Rosie
CHOCOLATE, DATE AND ORANGE MARMALADE CAKE
Start this cake the day before to refrigerate overnight.
Serves 8-10
80 gm orange marmalade
200 gm un-blanched whole almonds
200 gm dark couverture chocolate (55.5%), chopped
210 gm seedless dates, chopped
6 egg whites
Pinch salt
125 gm caster sugar
Preheat oven to 155°C fan-forced (175°C conventional). Grease and line a 20cm round cake tin.
Measure out the 80gm orange marmalade. If the marmalade is particularly runny, drain off some of the liquid and add more peel to weigh 80gm. Roughly chop the marmalade if the pieces are large.
Place the almonds and chocolate in a food processor and process until almost ground.
Transfer to a large bowl. Add the chopped dates, mixing well to break up any pieces which may have stuck together and to evenly distribute them (fingertips work well for this purpose). Add the marmalade and mix well to distribute the pieces.
Whisk the egg whites with the salt on low speed for 2 minutes. Increase the speed to medium and whisk until medium peaks form. Slowly add the caster sugar and increase the speed to high. Whisk for a further 2-3 minutes or until the mixture is shiny and meringue-like.
Fold half the meringue mixture into the date and chocolate mix followed by the second half of the meringue.
Transfer to the prepared cake tin and bake for 40 minutes.
Place on a cooling rack until completely cold. Refrigerate overnight. Turn out onto a serving platter and ice with Ganache Icing or simply dust with cocoa or icing sugar.
Serve at room temperature with whipped cream, vanilla ice cream or plain yoghurt and Oranges in Syrup if desired.
Ganache Icing
120 gm dark couverture chocolate (55.5%), chopped
85 gm pure cream
Place the chocolate in a heat proof bowl. Bring the cream to a boil in a small saucepan and pour over the chocolate.
Stir until the chocolate has completely melted, allowing to cool to a thick spreading consistency if necessary then spread over the cake smoothing the top and sides.
Oranges in Syrup
8 navel oranges + extra for juice if necessary
1 cup cold water
375 ml orange juice
120 gm caster sugar
Using a citrus zester, remove the orange zest in long lengths from 6 of the oranges then using a sharp knife remove the remaining skin and pith from the oranges. Holding the oranges over a bowl, cut just inside each of the membranes separating the segments, remove the segments to the bowl. Squeeze any juice from the remaining carcass of the oranges.
Strain the juice in to a jug. Juice the remaining two oranges (more if necessary) and add to the juice in the jug. You will need 375 ml.
Place the orange zest and 1 cup of cold water into a small saucepan. Bring to a boil. Remove from the heat and strain. Repeat two more times. Set aside.
Place the orange juice and caster sugar in to a small saucepan and, over a low heat, stir until the sugar has dissolved. Add the orange zest and simmer for 5 minutes.
Remove from the heat and add the orange segments. Allow to cool before transferring to a container.
The Oranges in Syrup will keep in the fridge for a week or two.
TIP:
If you fancy decorating your cake with Candied Orange Rind as we’ve done, here’s a recipe:-
Candied Orange Rind
2 oranges, washed and dried
220 gm caster sugar
250 ml water
100 gm caster sugar extra
Zest the oranges into long strands. Place in a small saucepan and cover with water. Bring to the boil. Remove from the heat and strain. Repeat two more times.
In a small saucepan, combine the caster sugar and 250ml water over a low heat, stirring until the sugar has dissolved. Bring to a simmer and add the strained orange zest. Allow to simmer slowly until the zest has a translucent appearance, around 10-15 minutes.
Carefully strain as the sugar syrup will be very hot. Transfer the strained zest to a piece of baking paper placed on a heatproof surface. Tip the extra 100gm caster sugar over and with gloved hands gently toss so that all the strands are separated and covered in sugar. Allow to cool before storing in an air tight container. It keeps well.