This spicy cake has a hit of sweetness that is bound to please.
INGREDIENTS
- 60 grams unsalted butter, softened
- 1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar
- 1 egg yolk
- 110 grams flour
- 1⁄2 tsp mixed spice
- 1⁄2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1⁄4 tsp ground cardamom
- pinch ground white pepper
- 1⁄4 tsp bicarbonate of soda
CREAMY CARAMEL
- 2 tsp powdered gelatine 11⁄2 tbsp water
- 1⁄2 cup caster sugar
- 300 ml pouring cream
- 2 egg yolks
- 60 grams unsalted butter, chopped 1⁄2 tsp vanilla extract
RUM MOUSSE
- 2 tsp powdered gelatine 2 tbsp water
- 1 cup milk
- 1/2 cup caster sugar
- 2 tbsp cornflour
- 2 tbsp dark rum
- 300 ml pouring cream
RUM MUSCATELS
- 1⁄2 cup firmly packed brown sugar cup dark rum
- 1⁄2 cup water
- 150g driedmuscatelsonstem
METHOD
BEAT butter and sugar in a small bowl with an electric mixer until light and fluffy. Beat in egg yolk.
STIR in sifted flour, spices and bicarb to form a soft dough. Knead dough on a lightly floured surface until smooth; enclose in plastic wrap. Refrigerate for 15 minutes.
ROLL dough between sheets of baking paper to about 3mm thick. Cut into a 20cm round. Place round and any leftover rolled pastry on a lined tray. Refrigerate for 15 minutes.
PREHEAT the oven to 180°C.
BAKE pastry for 10 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool on the tray for 5 minutes before placing it on a wire rack to cool. LIGHTLY oil a deep 20cm springform pan, line base and side with plastic wrap. Place pastry round in pan, trimming to fit.
CREAMY CARAMEL Sprinkle gelatine over the water in a small bowl. HEAT a heavy-based pot over medium- high heat. Gradually sprinkle sugar evenly over the base of the saucepan; as it melts, sprinkle with more sugar.
SWIRL the pan gently to dissolve any lumps and to prevent burning. Cook for 4 minutes or until it reaches a deep caramel colour. Remove pan from heat; carefully stir in cream. Return pan to heat; cook, stirring, over low heat for 5 minutes or until caramel is dissolved.
IN a small bowl, combine the egg yolks with a few spoons of the caramel.
ADD it to the remaining mixture in the pan; cook, stirring, over medium heat for 1 minute or until thickened slightly. Remove from heat. Add gelatine mixture; stir until dissolved. Cool for 10 minutes or until warm.
ADD butter and vanilla; using a stick mixer, blend until smooth.
POUR caramel over the pastry base in the pan; smooth the surface. Refrigerate while preparing the rum mousse.
RUM MOUSSE Sprinkle gelatine over the water in a small bowl.
STIR milk, sugar and cornflour in a medium pot until smooth; cook, stirring, over medium heat until mixture boils and thickens. Remove from heat; stir in gelatine mixture and rum. Allow to cool.
BEAT cream in a small bowl with an electric mixer until soft peaks form; fold into rum mixture.
POUR mousse over caramel layer; smooth the surface. Refrigerate for 4 hours or overnight until set.
RUM MUSCATELS Stir sugar, rum and the water in a small pot over medium heat until sugar dissolves; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low; simmer for 6 minutes or until thickened slightly, Add muscatels; return to the boil. Remove from heat; cool the syrup.
REMOVE mousse cake from pan. Serve topped with rum muscatels.
HANDS-ON TIME 30 min TOTAL TIME 65 min MAKES 10
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