Honey & Prune Cake
with Chestnut Ganache
Chefs: Jonathan Zammit and Stefan Hogan Pastry Chef: Victor Vella Photography: Alan Carville
For the honey & prune cake
50ml apple juice
100g brown sugar
110g honey
150g flour
3g baking powder
100g ground almonds
150g unsalted butter
100g whole eggs, cracked and beaten
30g prunes, chopped
Method
In a mixer, sieve all the dry ingredients – flour, baking powder and ground almonds.
Melt tighter the honey brown sugar, butter and apple juice until all the sugar has dissolved. Allow to cool slightly.
Beat together the sieved dry ingredients with the K-beater and gradually add the melted ingredients until fully incorporated.
Add the beaten eggs and fold in the chopped prunes.
Pipe into a desired mould that has been buttered (can also be baked as a cake).
Cook in a pre-heated oven set at 180 C for approximately 40 minutes. At the half hour mark check to ensure that they don’t over-cook.
Allow to cool and remove from the moulds.
For the Amaretto panna cotta
700ml cream
90ml almond milk
10ml Amaretto
75g toasted hazelnuts, chopped
110g sugar
15g gelatine leaves (bloomed in iced water)
Method
Bring to the boil the almond milk, cream, sugar and hazelnuts. Allow to infuse for fifteen minutes, then strain.
Bring back to the boil, then add the Amaretto and the strained gelatine leaves.
Pour into desired moulds and allow to set over night.
NB: The strained hazelnuts can be dehydrated and reused.
For the chestnut ganache
300g chestnut puree
8g gelatine leaves (bloomed in iced water)
480g cream
200g milk
16g glucose
230g milk chocolate
Method
Over a bain-marie, melt the chestnut purée, cream milk, chocolate and glucose. Once completely melted, add the strained gelatine. Allow to cool and refrigerate.
Pipe to decorate the dessert as desired.
NB: This ganache can also be used for macarons.
