Orange & Almond pudding with Pistachio praline

Something else I made at the Angliss Restaurant. I like the colour palette of this dessert – pistachio green and orange.

(Makes 10)

Ingredients for Cinnamon Syrup:

• 200g Sugar
• 100ml Water
• 2 cinnamon sticks

Method for Cinnamon Syrup:

1. Place all the ingredients in a saucepan and bring to the boil. Do not stir.
2. Reduce the mixture till syrup consistency.

Ingredients for Orange & Almond Cake:

• 250g Almond Meal
• 250g sifted icing sugar
• 225 g egg whites (room temperature)
• 50 g cornflour
• 225 g diced butter
• 150g apricot jam
• zest of 2 oranges

Method for Orange & Almond Cake:

1. Preheat oven to 180˚C.
2. Beat together almond meal icing sugar and cornflour with a paddle until well combined.
3. Add the egg whites and continue to beat until smooth.
4. Place butter into a pot and place over heat. Continue to cook until a nutty brown colour (like a beurre noisette).
5. Add to the admond mixture, incorporating at slow speed until fully mixed.
6. Fold in the apricot jam and orange zest.
7. Refrigerature the mixture till cold.
8. Line a small baking tray and pour the mixture into the tray. Bake for 20 minutes in the preheated oven or until the skewer comes out clean.
9. Turn the cake out onto a wire rack with a deep tray underneath. While cake is still warm, ladel the hot cinnamon syrup over the pudding.
10. Reserve some syrup for garnish.
11. When cake cools down cut into 8cmx3cm portions.

Ingredients for Pistachio praline:

• 100g sugar
• 20g water
• 100g pistachios peeled

Method for Pistachio praline:

1. Heat the sugar and water in a saucepan till a light caramel colour. Do not stir. In the meantime, toast the pistachios in the oven for 5 to 10min till crunchy.
2. Scatter the pistachios onto a tray lined with backing paper and pour the hot sugar over the top of the nuts.
3. Allow to cool and for the sugar to harden.
4. Once cold, crush in food processor till a coarse texture is achieved. Do not over mix.

Plating up:

• Place a portion of cake in the middle of a warm plate.
• Spoon over 1-2 tbsp of cinnamon syrup in a circular motion around and over the cake.

Garnish with the pistachio praline and serve with a connel of crea and enjoy