Reader's Digest Mediterranean Cookbook/Tess Mallos 1996

Hazelnut Cake (Foundoukopita)
Servings Preparation Time Cooking Time Temperature Notes Calories Saturated Fat Fat Sodium Carbohydrates Protein Cholesterol


INGREDIENTS:
melted butter, for greasing flour, for coating 175 ml/6 oz sunflower oil
250 gm/9 oz caster sugar 4 large eggs, separated 125 ml/4 fl oz fresh orange juice
140 gm/5 oz coarsely ground toasted hazelnuts 225gm/8 oz plain flour 4 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon pinch ground cloves 1/4 teaspoon salt
icing sugar, to serve (optional) whipped cream, to serve (optional) SYRUP (OPTIONAL): 150gm/5-1/2 oz sugar
125 ml/4 fl oz water thin strip of orange rind 1 teaspoon lemon juice
1 tablespoon brandy



1 Preheat the oven to 180 C/350 F/gas mark 4. Grease a 23cm/9-in gugelhopf or tube cake tin with melted butter and refrigerate to set the coating. Dust with flour and shake out the excess.
2 Combine the oil, sugar, egg yolks and orange juice in a bowl and beat with an electric mixer until thick and creamy and the sugar is dissolved. Stir in the hazelnuts. Sift the flour with the baking powder and spices, then fold into the egg mixture. Wash and dry the beaters thoroughly and whisk the egg whites with the salt in a separate bowl until stiff. Fold into the cake batter with a metal spoon.
3 Pour the mixture into the prepared tin and bake for 1-1/4 hours until cooked when tested with a skewer. Allow to stand for 10 minutes in the tine, then turn onto a wire rack to cool. Sieve icing sugar on top just before serving.
4 Alternatively, while the cake is cooling make the syrup by placing the sugar, water, orange rind and lemon juice in a small, heavy pan. Stir over a low heat until the sugar is dissolved, then boil over a medium heat for 5 minutes. Stir in the brandy. Remove from the heat and discard the orange rind. Place the warm cake on a plate and gradually pour over the boiling hot syrup. When cold, place the cake on a serving plate and serve as a dessert, with whipped cream.

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