Baking Recipes - Peach Gateau Recipe

Ingredients

Serves 8

• 3 eggs, separated

• 125 g/4 oz caster sugar

• finely grated rind and juice of 1/2 lemon

• 50 g/2 oz semolina

• 25 g/1 oz ground almonds 

To serve:

• 4 ripe peaches, stoned and thinly sliced

• 300 ml/1/2 pint double cream, whipped

• 4 tablespoons apricot jam

• 2 teaspoons lemon juice

• 50 g/2 oz ground hazelnuts

---

Method:

1. Grease a deep 20 cm/8 inch cake tin, line the base with grease proof paper, then grease the paper. Dust the inside of the tin lightly with flour.

2. Put the egg yolks, sugar, lemon rind and juice into a bowl and whisk with an electric beater until thick and mousse-like. Stir in the semolina and ground almonds. Whisk the egg whites until stiff, then fold in.

3. Turn the mixture into the prepared tin and level the surface. Transfer to a preheated oven, 180°C, (350°F), Gas Mark 4, and bake for 35-40 minutes until the cake springs back when lightly pressed in the centre. Turn out on to a wire rack, peel off the lining paper, turn the cake the right way up and leave to cool.

4. Cut the cooled cake into two layers. Fold half of the peach slices into three-quarters of the cream and use to sandwich the layers together.

5. Toast the ground hazelnuts in a dry frying pan, stirring continuously, until they turn a golden brown. Allow to cool.

6. Put the apricot jam and lemon juice into a small saucepan and heat gently, stirring until the jam has melted. Sieve and reheat. Arrange the remaining peach slices overlapping in a circle on top of the cake.

7. Brush the peaches and the sides of the cake with the warm jam glaze. Press the hazelnuts around the sides, then pipe the remaining cream around the top. Serve chilled.