Saffron honey syrup cakes
Beautiful bite-size cakes with succulent syrup and subtle saffron flavour.
- 40 mins preparation
- 30 mins cooking
- Makes 12 Item
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Ingredients
Saffron honey syrup cakes
- 1/4 teaspoon loosely packed saffron threads
- 2 teaspoon lemon juice
- 1 vanilla bean
- 200 gram (6½ ounces) cultured unsalted butter, softened, chopped
- 2 teaspoon finely grated lemon rind
- 3/4 cup (165g) caster (superfine) sugar
- 3 eggs, separated
- 1 2/3 cup (250g) self-raising flour
- 1 cup (280g) greek-style yoghurt
- 1/3 cup (55g) roasted almonds, chopped
- 1/4 teaspoon loosely packed saffron threads
- 3/4 cup (180ml) water
Sweet vanilla labne
- 1 vanilla bean
- 1 kilogram greek-style yoghurt
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/3 cup (115g) honey
Honey saffron syrup
- 1/4 cup (90g) honey
- 3/4 cup (165g) caster (superfine) sugar
- 2 strips lemon rind
- 1/3 cup (80ml) lemon juice
- 6 cloves
- 2 cinnamon sticks
Method
Saffron honey syrup cakes
- 1Make sweet vanilla labne. Split vanilla bean in half lengthways; scrape seeds into a medium bowl. Cut bean in half crossways, add to bowl with remaining ingredients; stir until combined.
- 2Spoon yoghurt mixture into a sieve lined with two layers of muslin or a clean Chux cloth. Tie cloth close to yoghurt. Refrigerate
- 3Combine saffron and juice in a small bowl; stand for 20 minutes.
- 4Meanwhile, preheat oven to 180°C/350°F. Grease 12 oval friand pans; line bases with baking paper.
- 5Split vanilla bean in half lengthways; scrape seeds into a small bowl of an electric mixer. Reserve bean for honey saffron syrup. Add chopped butter to bowl with rind and sugar; beat 3 minutes or until pale and fluffy.
- 6Beat in egg yolks, one at a time, until combined. Transfer mixture to a large bowl. Stir in flour and yoghurt, in two batches; stir in saffron mixture.
- 7Beat egg whites in a small bowl with an electric mixer until soft peaks form. Stir into cake mixture, in two batches. Spoon ⅓ cup mixture into pan holes.
- 8Bake cakes for 25 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean.
- 9Meanwhile, make honey saffron syrup. Stir ingredients and reserved vanilla bean in a small saucepan over medium heat until sugar dissolves. Bring to the boil. Remove from heat; stand 5 minutes. Discard spices.
- 10Turn hot cakes, top-side up, onto a wire rack over an oven tray. Brush hot syrup over hot cakes.
- 11Serve cakes topped with labne and nuts, and drizzle with remaining syrup.
Notes
Cultured butter is available alongside regular butter.