Orange, Almond and Caramel Torte

Is one of your friends both gluten and dairy free?  If so, you'll know how difficult it is to make a pudding that is not just poached fruit.   This, to me, is a challenge, and this year's Stour Festival saw a new cake, this deliciously squidgy orange and almond torte, with caramelised oranges on the top.   It's ridiculously easy to make, and, with its lovely caramelled top, looks pretty and has an intense orange flavour.  Why?  Because the main ingredient is a whole orange!  This fabulous recipe was originally published in Good Housekeeping magazine,

Although I do have a blowtorch, the caramel on the cake was made by boiling sugar and water and pouring it over the orange pieces.  This is best served with something creamy, which at Stour means piling another three puddings beside it...

Orange, Almond and Caramel Torte 

Almond, Orange and Caramel Torte

1 medium orange

3 eggs

8oz/225g golden caster sugar

9oz/250g ground almonds

½ level tsp baking powder

Plus – flour to dust (use GF flour) and oil to grease the tin

Top:

2oz/50g white sugar

A little water (2tbsp)

2 oranges

Put the orange into a jug, cover it with 3 ½ floz/100ml water, and microwave it for 1-2 minutes (900w) until it is soft.   Remove it from the water and allow it to cool.   Then cut the orange in half, removing any pips and the little end piece (do I have to tell you this?), and blitz it in a processor until it has become a smooth purée. 

Preheat the oven to 180 deg C, and line an 8 or 9” 23cm spring clip cake tin with parchment, then grease it, sprinkling a little gluten free flour on afterwards (I now use Dr Oetker’s cake release spray, it’s magic!) - cornflour would work too.    

Whisk the eggs and sugar until thick and pale – the longer the better.  Then fold in the almonds, baking powder and puréed orange.   Pour it into the tin and bake for 40-50 minutes or until a warm skewer comes out clean. 

Slow is best, so don't be afraid to cook it longer.  If it starts to brown on the top, cover loosely with a sheet of foil.  Leave it to cool in the tin, then gently remove the sides and base, putting the cake onto its serving plate.

Use a serrated knife to cut the pith and peel off the oranges (as you can see, I failed a little on this), then hold the orange in one hand and slice into each segment with the knife so you get neat little peel-less pieces.   Arrange the oranges over the torte.  Lastly, heat the sugar and water, stirring a little to dissolve the sugar, until it becomes a brown caramel – not too brown!!!   Pour it quickly over the oranges and cake.    Leave it to cool. 

Without the orange top, this cake will keep for about a week to ten days.