Yoghurt and figs
It's been snowing again this weekend, not much, just enough to dust the tops of the houses and settle in the trees but it's bitterly cold. A bone chilling wind sweeping in from the East tugs at my coat and is turning hands and cheeks raw and red. February, although a short month, reminds us that Winter is still in full force and the Spring we wait for is still in hiding. I'm longing for some warmer weather and am really fed up of feeling endlessly cold, hat hair and wearing socks to bed. Time to make a cake with memories of warmer times inspired by some photos of Mediterranean shores whilst reading the travel section of the Sunday papers. I had a tin of Kalamata figs in syrup in the larder (an impulse purchase because the tin was so pretty) and thought that these would make a nice addition to a simple yoghurt cake with maybe some fennel seeds too for a little extra sunshine-y flavour.
Yoghurt, fig and fennel cake
200g full fat plain Greek yoghurt
175g unrefined caster sugar
1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
1 tsp baking powder
zest of 1 lemon
1 tsp fennel seeds
pinch of sea salt
Tin of figs in syrup
Heat the oven to 180 degrees and lightly oil and line a 20 cm round baking tin. Whisk together the yoghurt, sugar and olive oil, then the eggs, one by one. Add the lemon zest, pinch of salt and fennel seeds and whisk again. Sift in the spelt flour and baking powders and stir until just mixed. Drain the figs and cut them in half. Pour the batter into the tin and top gently with the figs. Don't worry too much about a pattern, they will sink through the mixture in any case. Bake in the oven for 45-50 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the middle comes out clean.
This isn't a particularly sweet cake as the fennel seeds give it a very slight savoury 'tang'. You can always add a little more but I wanted to keep the flavour of the figs very clear. Delicious and moist, this will keep for a few days and tastes great served with a little Greek yoghurt and maybe a drizzle of honey. Roll on summer!
Yoghurt, fig and fennel cake
200g full fat plain Greek yoghurt
175g unrefined caster sugar
75ml olive oil
2 eggs
200g spelt flour
1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
1 tsp baking powder
zest of 1 lemon
1 tsp fennel seeds
pinch of sea salt
Tin of figs in syrup
Heat the oven to 180 degrees and lightly oil and line a 20 cm round baking tin. Whisk together the yoghurt, sugar and olive oil, then the eggs, one by one. Add the lemon zest, pinch of salt and fennel seeds and whisk again. Sift in the spelt flour and baking powders and stir until just mixed. Drain the figs and cut them in half. Pour the batter into the tin and top gently with the figs. Don't worry too much about a pattern, they will sink through the mixture in any case. Bake in the oven for 45-50 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the middle comes out clean.
This isn't a particularly sweet cake as the fennel seeds give it a very slight savoury 'tang'. You can always add a little more but I wanted to keep the flavour of the figs very clear. Delicious and moist, this will keep for a few days and tastes great served with a little Greek yoghurt and maybe a drizzle of honey. Roll on summer!
That cake sounds gorgeous and I love that tin! Would make a lovely herb planter :)
ReplyDeleteThank you! Yes, I agree, it would make a lovely plant pot, you may see it in the garden later in the year.
DeleteI'm loving the sound of that cake. I am going to do that one. I've seen those tins in Waitrose and I keep thinking they would look good with knives and forks in on the table.
ReplyDeleteI'm not liking the cold either!
Yep, TOTALLY fed up with the cold! Ahhh another victim of packaging love....as long as I've fallen in love with the tin/box/bag, I'm half way to buying it.
ReplyDelete