serves
8–10
prep
20 minutes
cook
30 minutes
difficulty
Easy
serves
8–10
people
preparation
20
minutes
cooking
30
minutes
difficulty
Easy
level
Ingredients
- 200 g fine semolina
- 100 g caster sugar
- 100 g self–raising flour
- 100 g soft unsalted butter, plus extra for greasing
- pinch of vanilla sugar
- ¼ tsp baking powder
- small pinch of ground mastic (see Note)
- 3 eggs
- blanched almonds, to decorate (optional)
Syrup
- 400 g caster sugar
- 200 ml water
- pinch of vanilla sugar
- ½ small lemon, juiced
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 180°C. Grease a 10 cm x 23 cm loaf tin.
To make the cake, using an electric mixer on medium speed, beat all ingredients, except the eggs and almonds, for 2 minutes. Add eggs, increase speed to high and beat for 5 minutes. Spoon batter into prepared tin. Use a knife to lightly mark small serving portions on top of batter, then top each portion with an almond, if you like.
Bake for about 25 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into centre of cake comes out clean.
When cake is nearly cooked, make the syrup. Place all ingredients in a saucepan over medium heat and stir until sugar dissolves. Bring to the boil and remove from the heat. When cake is cooked, pour a little hot syrup over hot cake, allowing it to absorb. Continue with all of syrup, allowing it to absorb after each addition. Serve.
Note
• Mastic is the hardened resin from a small evergreen tree found mainly on the Greek island of Chios. It is used to flavour Greek and Cypriot baked goods, sweets, drinks and ice-cream. It’s available from Greek food stores and good delicatessens.
Cook's Notes
Oven temperatures are for conventional; if using fan-forced (convection), reduce the temperature by 20˚C. | We use Australian tablespoons and cups: 1 teaspoon equals 5 ml; 1 tablespoon equals 20 ml; 1 cup equals 250 ml. | All herbs are fresh (unless specified) and cups are lightly packed. | All vegetables are medium size and peeled, unless specified. | All eggs are 55-60 g, unless specified.
