rich sugee (semolina) cake (sample recipe taken from the 'Delicious Asian Baked Treats' boostprints cookbook) Ingredients:
220g unsalted butter, diced and softened slightly at room temperature
120g caster sugar
3 tablespoons milk or water
100g semolina (sugee) flour
3 whole eggs and 2 egg yolks
120g caster sugar 2 teaspoons vanilla essence
80g plain flour (all-purpose flour)
1 teaspoon baking powder
¼ teaspoon salt
120g ground almonds
50g finely chopped almonds (almond nibs)
Method:
• Cream butter and 120g sugar in a mixer for about one minute at medium
high speed. With the mixer still on, add milk gradually, followed by the
semolina flour. Mix till combined. Switch off the mixer and let the mixture
stand for an hour. This allows the semolina to absorb moisture.
• Preheat oven to 180°C. Use cooking oil or melted butter to lightly grease
the bottom and sides of a round cake tin measuring 7 inches (17.5cm) in
diameter. Line the bottom of the tin with greaseproof paper.
• Beat eggs and egg yolks in a mixer till frothy. Add 120g sugar gradually
and beat at medium high speed for a full five minutes till pale-coloured. Stir
in essence.
• Sift flour, baking powder and salt. Add ground and chopped almonds. Mix
well.
• Add half the egg mixture to the butter mixture. Fold gently till almost
combined. Then add half the flour mixture to the butter mixture and fold.
Add remaining egg mixture and flour mixture alternately. Fold till all
ingredients are combined. Do not overmix.
• Pour mixture into cake tin and smoothen the surface with a spatula.
• Bake for 45 minutes. If the top of the cake starts to burn, remove the cake
from the oven after 35 minutes, cover the top of the cake with aluminium
foil, then bake for another 10 minutes. The cake is ready when an inserted
skewer or satay stick comes out clean. Allow the cake to cool for 10 minutes
at room temperature before removing it from the tin. Run a knife round the
side of the cake and overturn it onto a wire rack to cool.
recipe notes (www.boostprints.com)
• Milk adds richness and flavour to this cake. If not available, replace with
water but expect a slight loss in flavour.
• The extra egg yolks add moisture and richness to the cake.
• It is important to beat the eggs well. This incorporates air into the mixture,
which helps the cake rise during baking.
• It is not necessary to toast the almonds before use in this recipe.
• Chopped almonds add flavour and some crunch to this cake. Do not omit.
• Buy ready ground almonds and chopped almonds to save time and effort.
• Plain flour gives the cake structure and should not be entirely replaced
with semolina flour.
• When folding the flour and egg mixture into the butter mixture, do not
overmix as this will result in a heavy and dense cake.
• Sifting icing sugar over a baked cake does wonders to its appearance. Or
spread whipped cream and sprinkle toasted chopped or sliced nuts. Refer
to cake decorating books for more ideas.
