Revani with muscat-poached peaches and honeyed yoghurt
From: gourmettraveller.com.au
SERVES 10
Revani
550 g granulated sugar
700 ml cold water
1 stick cinnamon
5 whole cloves
Zest and juice of 1 orange
225 g unsalted butter plus extra for greasing
6 eggs
110 g plain flour
175 g semolina
1 tbsp baking powder
110 g blanched almonds, finely chopped
½ tbsp vanilla essence
3 tbsp brandy
18 blanched almonds
Poached peaches
9 peaches, halved and stone removed
300 g granulated sugar
1 vanilla pod
375 ml muscat
1 litre water
Honeyed yoghurt
200 ml Greek-style yoghurt
3 tbsp runny honey
Combine 350g of sugar with the cold water in a saucepan and simmer over low heat until the sugar has dissolved. Add the cinnamon stick, cloves, orange juice and zest and simmer for another 15 minutes. Allow to cool.
Preheat the oven to 180°C. Place the butter in a bowl and beat with a whisk or electric mixer until soft and light. Slowly add the remaining sugar. Add the eggs individually, whisking thoroughly between each addition.
In another bowl, sift together the flour, semolina and baking powder. Add the finely chopped almonds and mix well. Add this mixture slowly, whisking continuously, to the sugar mixture, then add the vanilla essence and brandy.
Lightly grease a 26cm round cake tin then pour in the mixture and bake for 35 minutes.
Meanwhile, to poach the peaches, place the peaches, sugar, vanilla pod, muscat and water in a saucepan. Place over medium heat for 5 minutes or until the sugar begins to dissolve. Lower the heat then simmer for 15 minutes or until the peaches are tender. Remove peaches from the syrup and allow the syrup to continue to simmer on a low heat for a further 15 minutes or until the syrup has thickened. Allow to cool. Pour syrup over poached peaches.
Remove cake from oven and score into diamond shapes with a sharp knife. Discard the cinnamon stick and cloves from the syrup, and spoon it over the cake. Allow the cake to cool. Decorate each portion with a blanched almond.
For honeyed yoghurt, simply combine honey and yoghurt in a bowl.
Serve portions of cake with some poached peaches and honeyed yoghurt.