Prep. Time: 15′ Baking Time: 45′ Serves 12
Instructions:
- For the Cake:
- 6 eggs, separated whites from yolks
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 pinch of salt
- ½ tsp. vanilla powder
- 1 tsp. ground nutmeg
- 1 tsp. ground cinnamon
- ½ tsp. ground cloves
- ¼ cup cognac
- ½ cup orange juice
- Zest of 1 orange
- 1 tsp. baking soda
- 1 tsp. baking powder
- 1 ½ cup semolina, fine and coarse combined
- 2 cups walnuts, roughly chopped
- For the Syrup:
- 3 cups sugar
- 2 cups water
- ½ orange (unwaxed)
- ½ lemon (unwaxed)
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 4-5 whole cloves
Instructions:
For the Cake
- Preheat the oven to 360°F. Grease a 12-inch round baking pan.
- Beat the egg yolks with the sugar in a mixer for 7-8 minutes, until they turn into a white, smooth and shiny cream.
- Add the vanilla, nutmeg, cinnamon, cloves, and cognac, and combine with the mixer.
- In another bowl, whisk the eggs and the salt with a hand-held mixer on medium speed for about 4-5 minutes, until stiff peaks form.
- Dissolve the soda in the glass of orange juice, but with care because it bubbles and may spill over.
- Add to the egg yolk mixture, using the mixer until incorporated.
- Set the mixer at a lower speed.
- Put the baking powder in a bowl with the semolina and walnuts.
- Gradually add the meringue to the egg yolks and finish with the dry ingredients (semolina and walnut mix).
- Fold in gently with a spatula and empty the mixture into the greased baking pan.
- Place on the lowest rack of the oven, or the second to last rack if using the convection setting.
- Bake for about 45 minutes, until the cake rises and turns golden brown. Check it is ready with a toothpick or the blade of a knife.
- Prepare the syrup while the cake is baking; the syrup must be lukewarm when poured over the hot walnut cake.
For the Syrup
- Put the sugar, water, and spices into a pot. Squeeze in the orange and lemon juice, and add the lemon cup.
- Stir the syrup and bring to a boil, but make sure not to stir it after it begins bubbling because the syrup will crystallize.
- Boil for 6-8 minutes on a medium heat.
- Stand until lukewarm.
- Using a ladle, pour the lukewarm syrup over the cake as soon as you remove it from the oven.
- Let the cake cool to room temperature.
- Wrap the baking pan in plastic and turn the cake upside down on the kitchen counter.
- Leave to rest before serving overnight. This achieves the best possible result and distributes the syrup evenly from top to bottom.
- Enjoy!
Source: Argiro Barbarigou
