Hazelnut And Berry Shortcake
This pudding, which has a soft hazelnutty centre surrounding moist fruit, is equally good made using either raspberries, loganberries or blackberries. The apple can he added raw, as in the recipe, so that it still has some texture at the end of the baking, or it can first be gently cooked in a covered saucepan, shaking the pan occasionally, until softened, then left to cool. For flavourings, I like to include orange flower water either with the fruit or the hazelnut mixture, or I mix ground cinnamon with the caster sugar sprinkled over the baked shortcake.
INGREDIENTS:
150 G/5 OZ UNSALTED
BUTTER, DICED
130 G/5 OZ VANILLA SUGAR
1 EGG, BEATEN
150 G/5 ON HAZELNUTS, GROUND 130 G/3 OZ SELF-RAISING FLOUR
175 G/6 OZ EATING APPLES,
SUCH AS COX'S ORANGE PIPPINS
300 G/I0 07. FRESH BERRIES
CASTER SUGAR, FOR SPRINKLING
TO SERVE:
DOUBLE CREAM OR STRAINED
GREEK YOGURT
DIRECTIONS:
Set the oven to 180°C/350°F/Gas 1. Butter a 22.3 cm/81/2 inch loose-based deep flan tin.
Beat together the butter, sugar and egg until \veil mixed. Stir in the hazelnuts and flour. Spread half in the base of the flan tin, using a fork to flatten lightly.
Peel, core and finely chop the apples. Mix with the berries, then place in an even layer on the hazelnut mixture. Dot over the remaining hazelnut mixture so that the fruit is almost covered.
Place on a baking sheet and bake for about 1 hour, covering lightly when well browned. The cake should feel just firm, with a springy texture. Remove from the oven, but leave in the tin for about I hour. Sprinkle over caster sugar and serve warm with double cream or strained Greek yogurt.
