I have a well-deserved reputation as an olive oil junkie. I use olive oil in most dishes, and not with a light hand. When my regular customers saw this dessert on the menu, they thought I’d gone too far—until they tasted it. The oil takes the place of butter and makes for an incredibly moist crumb. It’s delicious with candied oranges and whipped cream, or by itself in the afternoon with a cup of tea. Or if you’re a chocolate lover, try a slice drizzled with the chocolate sauce from the ,meringues recipe on pages 159–160.
Ingredients
Candied Tangerines
Preparation
Step 1
Preheat the oven to 375°F.
Step 2
Brush a 9-inch round cake pan with a little olive oil.
Step 3
Sift the flour and baking powder together and then stir in the semolina and salt. Combine 1 cup olive oil and the brandy in a small bowl.
Step 4
Using a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat the eggs, yolks, and sugar at high speed for 7 minutes until full volume. Remove the bowl from the mixer and transfer the egg mixture to a large bowl. Alternate folding in the dry and wet ingredients, a third at a time. Pour the batter into the prepared cake pan. Tap the pan three times to remove any air bubbles.
Step 5
Bake about 40 minutes until the cake begins to pull away from the sides of the pan and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. The cake should be golden brown and spring back slightly when you touch the center. Cool the cake on a rack for at least 15 minutes.
Step 6
Using a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, whip the cream and crème fraîche together to soft peaks.
Step 7
Cut six slices from the cake and place them on six dessert plates. Spoon some of the candied tangerines and syrup over each piece and dollop with the whipped cream.
Candied Tangerines
Step 8
Slice the vanilla bean in half lengthwise, and use a paring knife to scrape the seeds and pulp into a medium saucepan. Add the vanilla pod, the sugar, and the water and bring to a boil over medium-high heat.
Step 9
Meanwhile, remove all the white veins, or pith, from the tangerine segments.
Step 10
Turn the heat down to low and add the tangerines to the syrup. Simmer the fruit 3 to 5 minutes, until the tangerines look a little puffy and shiny.
Step 11
Strain the mixture over a bowl and discard the vanilla pod. Return the liquid to the pan and reduce over medium-high heat until it’s slightly thickened and coats the back of a spoon.
Step 12
Allow the syrup to cool completely and gently stir in the tangerines.
