Rhubarb, Pistachio and Orange Cake with a Cardamom Chantilly Cream

180g semolina

75g ground pistachios (retain 25g for garnish)

150g plain flour

2 tsp baking powder

Pinch salt

250g butter

275g castor sugar

1 tsp vanilla

3 large eggs

100mls orange juice

Zest 1 orange

1 tsp orange blossom (optional)

Pour the cake mixture into the tin. Use a spatula to scrape all the mixture out. Sit the roast rhubarb pieces on top, sprinkle on the last crushed pistachios and bake for 45-50 minutes until cooked through. The cake skewer should come out clean.

75g sugar

Zest ½ orange

Icing sugar for garnish

 

Cardamom Chantilly Cream:

200mls cream whipped

200mls ready-made custard

3 cardamom pods

 

Roast Rhubarb:

Cream the butter and sugar together for about 5-7 minutes until incredibly pale in colour and smooth. Scrape down the sides of the bowl. . Sprinkle over the sugar, and add the splash of orange blossom. Cover with foil. Roast for 15 minutes. Test with a sharp knife - the rhubarb should feel tender, not mushy, and still have kept its shape. Allow the rhubarb to cool down. Cut into a further 2 pieces on the diagonal. Retain the syrup as the drizzle for when the cake has cooled.

 

Semolina Cake:

Pre-heat the oven. Grease an 8-inch springform tin with butter or oil.

Shell and crush the pistachios. Combine the flour, semolina, baking powder and salt. Combine the orange juice, zest and vanilla in a separate bowl and set aside.

Cream the butter and sugar together for about 5-7 minutes until incredibly pale in colour and smooth. Scrape down the sides of the bowl.

Gradually add some of the egg mixture, orange juice mixture and a little flour alternately ( retaining most of the flour until the end ) until all the egg and juice mixtures have been added. ( it will split and curdle here, don’t worry. )

Add in the remaining flour and barely beat until combined.

Pour the cake mixture into the tin. Use a spatula to scrape all the mixture out. Sit the roast rhubarb pieces on top, sprinkle on the last crushed pistachios and bake for 45-50 minutes until cooked through. The cake skewer should come out clean.

 

Orange Blossom Syrup:

Combine the leftover orange roasting juices in a small saucepan and reduce down to a syrup consistency. Allow to cool slightly.

Allow the cake to cool on a wire tray. Prick it all over with a fork. Slowly pour over the orange drizzle on top slowly allowing it to seep down into the cake. Garnish with a dusting of icing sugar and the 25g crushed pistachios.

 

Cardamom Chantilly Cream:

Whip the cream, fold the cream and custard together. Split the pods open and scrape out the seeds. Fold them into the cream.

Serve a slice of the cake a little warm with a dollop of cream on top and garnish with a little roast rhubarb and a sprinkling of pistachio nuts.