Sponge cake with dried apricot puree, whipped cream and edible flowers

Tam West

A successful sponge is all about the folding in of the dry ingredients and melted butter. After you have beaten as much air as possible into your egg and sugar mixture, gently and carefully fold in the dry ingredients, trying to keep as much air in the mixture as possible.

For the dried apricot puree

115 g	Dried apricots, soaked overnight or for a few hours in enough cold water to just cover (Main)
2 pieces	Orange peel, or lemon rind
1 drizzle	Runny honey, enough to sweeten

For the sponge

3	Eggs, separated
½ cup	Caster sugar
½ cup	Plain flour
¼ cup	Cornflour
1 tsp	Custard powder (Main)
1 tsp	Baking powder
25 g	Butter, melted

To serve

400 ml	Cream, use up to 500ml, whipped
1 sprinkle	Icing sugar
1 small handful	Edible flowers, to garnish

Directions

1. Place soaked apricots with any soaking liquid in a small saucepan with the orange or lemon rind and place over low heat. Cook until the apricots are soft and pulpy. Rub through a non-metallic sieve to give you a puree and sweeten to taste with honey. Set aside to cool.
2. Make the sponge: Heat the oven to 190C. Grease 2 x16cm round tins and line the base of each with baking paper. Dust the inside of the tins with flour, tapping out the excess.
3. Place the egg whites in the bowl of an electric mixer and beat with a pinch of salt until foamy. Gradually add the caster sugar and beat until thick. Beat in the egg yolks, one at a time, and continue beating until the mixture is very pale and fluffy. You should be able to draw the letter "M" in the mixture as it falls off the beaters, in an unbroken trail.
4. Sift the flour, cornflour, custard powder and baking powder together, then sift them again on to the egg mixture and carefully fold in with a large spoon or spatula. Lastly fold in the melted butter.
5. Using the spatula to help you, carefully place the mixture in the tins. Place in the oven and bake for 15 minutes or until the top is golden brown and the sponges spring back when lightly touched. Leave in the tins for 5 minutes before turning out on a wire rack to cool.
6. Slice the cooled sponges in half horizontally.Layer the base of one sponge with cream and dollop with some apricot puree. Top with the other half. Top that with more cream and apricot puree, then the other base, followed by the remaining cream and apricot puree and the last layer of sponge. Dust with icing sugar and decorate with edible flower petals.

More from Kathy using New Zealand produce

• Beef thin skirt with black garlic butter, warm lentils and roasted cauliflower
• Our chopped salad