Baking

Poached quince and chestnut cake

Poached quince AND CHESTNUT CAKE
12
30M
4H
4H 30M

Ingredients

Poached quince
Crumble topping

Method

1.Poach quince. Place quince, caster sugar, marsala, cinnamon, vanilla bean and the water in a large saucepan over high heat; bring to the boil. Reduce heat to low; simmer, uncovered, for 2 hours or until quince is tender and syrup has reduced. Using a slotted spoon, transfer quince into a medium bowl; cool. Reserve syrup and cinnamon. Discard vanilla bean. Cut quince quarters in half.
2.Meanwhile, make crumble topping. Combine flour, sugar and walnuts in asmall bowl. Rub in butter until mixture forms coarse crumbs.
3.Preheat oven to 180°C/350°F. Grease a deep 24cm (91/2-inch) springform pan; line base with baking paper.
4.Push flour, ground almonds, baking powder and mixed spice through a fine sieve into a bowl. Beat butter and brown sugar in a large bowl with an electric mixer until paler and fluffy. Add chestnut puree; beat until smooth. Beat in eggs, one at a time, until just combined. Fold in flour mixture and milk until combined. Spread mixture into pan; arrange 12 quince wedges in a circular pattern, then place 4 wedges in the centre. Sprinkle crumble over quince.
5.Bake cake for 1¼ hours or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. Stand cake in pan for 10 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool.
6.Serve warm or cooled, drizzled with reserved syrup and cinnamon.

If syrup is a little thin, remove quince with a slotted spoon, then boil syrup, uncovered, for 5 minutes or until thicker.

Note

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