Recipe - Walnut Cake

Serves 8

For the cake

• 250g fine semolina
• 200gm (2 cups) walnuts, coarsely chopped
• 150g (1 cup) plain flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 250 grams of unsalted, softened butter
• 250gm caster sugar
• zest of ½ an orange
• 6 eggs, separated

For the sugar syrup

• 2 cups of caster sugar
• 2 cinnamon quills
• 5 cloves
• I piece of lemon rind, removed with a peeler.

1. Preheat the oven to 170C.
2. Combine the semolina, walnuts, flour, baking powder and cinnamon in a bowl. Set aside
3. Cream the sugar, orange and butter in a mixer until it becomes nice and light.
4. Fold in semolina mixture, then yolks, set aside
5. Whisk egg whites until soft peaks form, and then fold them into the semolina mixture in three batches.
6. Place the mixture into a 24cm square cake tin buttered and lined with baking paper
7. Bake until cake is cooked through and springs back when lightly pressed (30-35 mins)
8. Whilst the cake is cooking prepare your sugar syrup by boiling all the ingredients in 500ml water. Once the mixture comes to a boil, turn the heat down to medium-low and simmer till reduced by half (20-25 mins) until we have a nice thick syrup.
9. Remove the cake from the oven and let it cool for 5 mins. Pour the sugar syrup over the cake, stand to soak in (15 minutes), remove from tin, cool to room temperature..
10. Cut the walnut cake into diamond shapes and serve with double cream

Im also keen to try this version: http://souvlakiforthesoul.com/karydopita-walnut-cake