Sunday Morning Serenity

17:46

milk the feeling

and

Plum and Hazelnut Crumble Cakes

It's Wednesday, it's pouring down with rain outside and I am trying to convince myself that we won't need milk today and that that leftover piece of bread is just what we need for dinner tonight.

And I wish it was Sunday again and I can wake up into a sunny day with the prospect of grabbing my boots and jacket as soon as I get up and head to Blackheath farmers market. That's almost become our little -give our Sunday morning a boost- routine: farmers market first, coffee and pastry (or even cake sometimes) at our favourite French boulangerie next, then a walk around the village square, or in the park. It gives us inspiration and builds up a kind of energy that often lasts for days... although taking a few pictures keeps that feeling going.

From these weird and wonderful outings we have, my Monday-Morning-Beginning-of-the-Week bakes are almost always inspired by the array of cakes and pastries of the boulangerie, or the smell of organic and freshness from the markets. Well, this week, the market won (I had a slice of Opera cake and to make something like that was way too technical for my liking). Instead, I opted for a "free style" bake, little cakes that are more in-keeping with the spirit of the food market.

Plum and Hazelnut Crumble Cakes

90 gm softened butter

225 gm sugar

an orange, finely grated rind

2 eggs

50 ml milk

100 gm flour

80 gm ground hazelnut

1 tsp baking powder

300 gm ricotta

1 egg yolk

2 plums, thinly sliced

20 gm hazelnuts, chopped

Preheat oven to 180C. Beat 80 gm butter, 165 gm sugar and orange rind in an electric mixer until pale and creamy (3-4 minutes), then add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.Add milk and beat to combine. Stir in flour, ground hazelnuts and baking powder, then spoon into 6 buttered and floured 165 ml-capacity metal moulds, or baking dishes of your choice. Smooth tops and set aside.

Process ricotta, egg yolk and 40 gm sugar in a food processor until smooth, divide among moulds. Top with plum slices and set aside.

Combine chopped hazelnuts with remaining butter and sugar in a small bowl, rub together then scatter over plums. Bake until risen and golden and a skewer comes out clean (25-30 minutes). Cool cakes in moulds for 5 -10 minutes, run a small knife around sides of moulds and carefully remove cakes. Cool on a wire rack. Cakes will keep for up to 3 days stored in an airtight container.