HOWARD MIDDLETON

Hazelnut and greengage crumble cake

This gluten-free cake uses fresh greengages and has a nutty, crumble topping.  A teaspoon of Chinese Five Spice powder gives the cake a delicate, aromatic quality that complements the fruit.  Add more spice if you prefer a stronger flavour and try other plums if greengages aren't in season.  You can also serve the cake as a pudding, with a dollop of cream... or custard. 

Ingredients

For the crumble topping

50g rice flour

25g cold, unsalted butter, cut into small pieces

50g demerara sugar

25g roasted chopped hazelnuts

For the cake

175g unsalted butter

175g caster sugar

3 large eggs

65g rice flour

65g potato flour

2 tsps gluten free baking powder

1 tsp xanthan gum

1 tsp Chinese Five Spice powder

50g roasted chopped hazelnuts

about 200g greengages, halved and stones removed

25g blanched hazelnuts

Method

1. Make the crumble topping by rubbing the butter into rice flour until it's like lumpy sand.  Stir in the demerara sugar and chopped nuts.
2. Preheat the oven to 180C/170C fan. Lightly butter a 20cm spring form tin and line with baking parchment. 
3. Cream the butter and sugar in a large bowl. 
4. In a separate bowl, sift together the two flours, baking powder, xanthan gum and Chinese Five Spice powder. 
5. Add a spoonful of the flour mixture and one egg to the butter and sugar mixture, beating in thoroughly. Add the rest of the eggs, one by one, adding a spoonful of the flour mixture each time. Fold in the rest of the flour, then fold in the chopped hazelnuts.
6. Spoon the mixture into the prepared tin, then arrange the halved greengages on top, pressing them down slightly. You will be able to fit at least two rows of greengages on the cake but leave a space in the very middle of the cake so you can test it without squelching through the fruit. Press the blanched hazelnuts in the spaces between the fruit, then cover with the crumble topping.
7. Bake for about 1 hour until a wooden skewer inserted in the centre of the cake comes out clean. Leave to cool slightly then remove from the tin and cool on a wire rack.