QUINCE AND HAZELNUT CAKE

Two magical autumn ingredients come together in this truly outstanding cake.  

Serves 12

Ingredients

3 quince, (800g)  peeled and poached until tender, cut into slices

150g softened butter

125g caster sugar

125g brown sugar

3 eggs

300g Creme fraiche

320g flour

1 ½ tsp baking powder

1 tsp ground cinnamon

Hazelnut topping

60g hazelnuts, coarsely chopped

80g brown sugar

30g butter, roughly cubed

30g flour

Method

Preheat the oven 160C

Grease and line a 24 cm round springform tin.

To make the hazelnut crumble - Combine the ingredients in a bowl, with a pinch of salt and rub using your fingertips until coarse crumbs occur.  Set aside.

Cream the butter and sugars together until pale and creamy (3-5 minutes).

Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.

Add the creme fraiche and lightly fold through.

Gently stir in the sifted dry ingredients and mix gently until combined.

Spoon half the mixture into prepared cake tin, scatter over the cooked quince slices, cover with remaining cake mixture and spread evenly.

Finish with the hazelnut crumble and bake until cake is golden and skewer comes out clean.

Cool cake before removing from tin.

If you have spare quince syrup serve this drizzled over the cake.