Jane Devonshire, MasterChef Champion 2016 shares a delicious sweet treat with us…

Apricot and Almond Cake Tatin

I love these little cakes. The inspiration is obviously from the delicious Tarte Tatin with caramel base but they are so light and fluffy when eaten but warming too.  Please don’t rush making the caramel.  It’s better to take your time and get a lovely golden colour because when the caramel starts to change it will happen quickly and you don’t want a bitter flavour to spoil your dessert. Like all of my recipes these are gluten free but that is not important they are just a lovely slightly different dessert.

You will need:

x6 muffin tray

Preheated oven to 180

1 Tin of Apricot Halves in natural syrup

75gm Soft Brown Sugar

25gm Ground Almond

75gm Fine Polenta

1/2 Teaspoon Gluten Free Baking Powder

50gm Natural Yoghurt

100gm Chopped Apricot from the tin

6 Apricot Halves from the tin

2 Tablespoons Juice from the tin

25gm Flaked Almond

For the Caramel:

125gm Granulated Sugar

125gm Softened Butter cubed

Squeeze Lemon juice to taste

For the Almond Liqueur Cream (optional):

200gm Double Cream

1 teaspoon Vanilla Bean Paste

Splash Almond liqueur to taste

Flaked Almonds to serve

Method:

To make the caramel, add the caster sugar to a heavy based pan with a splash of water. Heat slowly, swirling the pan occasionally; do not stir, just keep over a steady heat until the sugar goes a dark golden caramel colour. Remove from the heat and quickly stir in the cubed butter using a spatula or wooden spoon. It will froth a little so please be careful.

Gently and carefully pour equal portions of the caramel into the six holes of a non stick muffin tin. You will use about half the caramel made.

Put an apricot half into each of the prepared caramel tins.

Beat the softened butter and sugar until really light and fluffy, then beat in the egg until the mixture is mousse like and light in texture.

Add the polenta Ground almond, baking powder, yoghurt, chopped apricot, apricot juice and flaked almond and combine together.

Put a tablespoon of the mixture on top of the caramel and apricot and very gently smooth over, the caramel may come up the side a little.

Place in the oven for 18 – 20 minutes until risen and golden. Leave to cool for a couple of minutes and then gently remove from the tin.  You can do this by putting a board over the tin and flipping or carefully remove using a small palette knife.

Add a splash of lemon juice to the remaining caramel and place in a jug to be poured when serving.

Whip the cream with the vanilla bean paste to soft peaks and add a good splash of almond liqueur if using,

Serve with a generous sprinkling of flaked almonds.

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