SEMOLINA CAKES with RED WINE DRIED FRUIT COMPOTE
Nothing says you're special like having your own dessert. I love individual desserts they are fun to make and eat! This cake is soaked in a kirsch syrup but you can use any other liquor you have like Grand Marnier, Cognac or rum.
If you want to make it ahead mkae the compote and the syrup a day in advance the day you plan to serve bake the semolina cake.
Serves 8
Cakes
1 cup cake flour
1 cup semolina flour
1 cup sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
3 large eggs
1 cup whole milk
Grated zest of 2 oranges
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
4 ounces unsalted butter melted (8 tablespoons)
Whipped cream
Kirsch Syrup
2 cups water
1 cup granulated sugar
2 tablespoons kirsch
Grated zest of one orange and its juice
Compote
1/2 pound dried plums, figs, cherries, and apricots
2 cups red wine
1/2 cup orange juice
2 3-inch strips of orange zest
1/2 vanilla bean
1/4 cup honey
2 tablespoons sugar
1/2 stick cinnamon
2 cloves
2 peppercorns
1 star anise
1. Preheat the oven to 350. Butter the bottoms and sides of a 9 inch cake pan and line bottom with parchment paper. In a large bowl, whisk the flour, semolina,sugar, baking powder and salt. In a small bowl, whisk the eggs with the milk, finely grated orange zest and vanilla. Add the egg mixture to the semolina mixture and mix gently with a whisk
until well combined. Mix in the melted butter.
2. Pour the batter into the prepared cake pans and bake for about 25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let the cakes cook in the pan for 10 minutes, then unmold onto a cake rack to cool.
3. Add water and sugar to saucepan stir until sugar is dissolved, add the orange juice and zest. Bring to a boil and cook for about 30 seconds. Remove from heat and allow to cool, then add the kirsch. Place syrup in a bowl large enough to hold syrup and the cake. Place the cake in the bowl for a minute to soak up the syrup. Then turn over and let soak another minute. Remove and set on a cake rack to drain.
4. In a medium saucepan, bring the dried fruits, wine, orange juice, orange zest vanilla bean and seeds, honey, sugar, cinnamon, cloves, peppercorns, and star anise to a boil.