Lemon Sou lé Cake

This cake looks spectacular when it comes out of the oven, then it gradually sinks and looks rather underwhelming. But don’t be deceived – you’d be hard-pressed to find a more delicious dessert cake. Once it’s been chilled and topped with that glorious mix of yoghurt and crème fraîche, it becomes the lightest, most moreish cake you have ever tasted, with a cheesecake-like texture. Serves 8 / GF · V if vegetarian sour cream or crème fraîche is used.

5 large (size 7) eggs,

separated

½ cup sugar

¼ cup honey

1 tsp vanilla extract finely grated zest of 1 lemon ¼ cup strained lemon juice 1 tsp orange blossom water

(optional)

1 cup sour cream or crème

fraîche

1 cup Greek yoghurt

⅓ cup ground almonds ⅓ cup maize cornflour or

rice flour

To Serve

1 cup Greek yoghurt

1 cup crème fraîche or

sour cream

¼ cup Pistachio Praline

(see recipe right) chopped pistachios or

toasted flaked almonds

Preheat the oven to 150°C (not fanbake). Line the base and sides of a 23cm diameter cake tin with baking paper, ensuring the sides extend about 4cm above the rim of the tin.

Using an electric beater on high speed, whisk together egg yolks, sugar, honey, vanilla, lemon zest and juice, and orange blossom water (if using), until the mixture is creamy and pale and the sugar is dissolved (8-10 minutes).

Mix in sour cream or crème fraîche and yoghurt, beating to just combine. Stir in ground almonds and cornflour or rice flour.

Using a clean beater and bowl, whisk the egg whites until they form soft peaks when the beater is lifted from the bowl. Gently fold into the batter, about a third at a time. Pour into prepared tin and bake until golden and pu ed up like a sou lé with a slight wobble (about 1 hour). It may be cracked on top.

Remove from the oven (it will deflate immediately). Allow to cool in the tin, then cover and chill until ready to serve. It will keep in the fridge for up to 24 hours.

When ready to serve, mix yoghurt with crème fraîche or sour cream. Spoon on top of cake and garnish with Pistachio Praline (see recipe right) or nuts.