This is the foundation of change. Building an Empire Cake. A new cake for a new business. The post coronial saga. Reboot. Re invent. Re Re Re….

What do ya mean ya want gluten free…argghhhhh. I hate yous all.

Why do you always want something that cant be had? It is IMPOSSIBLE to make a light fluffy moist cake without gluten. Right? We ALL KNOW we must have bliss balls, orange almond cake, friands, murdered cashew “raw vegan” cakes. Those dense things. The “cakes” and “treats” made of compacted texture dense cack.

We all know we cant have what we want, so we take the bloody orange almond cake, or that friand rolling around in the back of that shitty cafes cake fridge, and compromise with mediocrity. Tricking ourselves we are good with that.

But then came along The Bec. Game Changer. Mind Blower. Compromise is OVER.

This GLUTEN FREE cake, IS light, fluffy, holds its self up well, moist, and not too sweet.

I often hope I will gather the energy post coronial meltdown aka “rock bottom from hell”, and rebuild my cake business. I will bake and get back on my feet. I will clean up the aftermath. I will rebuild my empire, and be all middle-class again and get a nice house with a spa bath and a north facing deck again. But alas, I cant be arsed. I am tired and broken, and it is ok. I am still here, and everything is new, and that is ok too.

So The BEC (Building an Empire Cake) is the rebuild for now. Thats what I am going to do. Cause its fun, and feels right, and is a touch of magic. I needed magic. We all do.

A Cake that has it all, is perfectly in season, a little nutty, a little spicy, a little sweet and a little creamy with layers of strength and studded with sexy jewels. It is super fruity, but of course! Cause fruity is where it is at…incase you have not been following along….

I would like to price her super duper high, so I dont have to share her, but if you really want to order her, I shall comply, and bake one for you. One does have bills after all, even if ones rental house is akin to camping, one still must pay for the gas heater bills, and the online book orders….

If you are poor and destitute and have been financially ruined by the world wide pannacotta, it’s ok, I understand. Same. So I will continue to publish the recipes and you can make her yourself at home. Though, you know, I really have the winning touch with this one, so try as you will, but you know her secrets lie with me, not everything can be explained in bullet points, and blogs. There is always always so much more going on behind the facade. But this is a blog, so lets facade away…..

So what is this cake I hear you screaming at your laptops.

A buckwheat chiffon, with Orange Blossom & White Chocolate Creme Patisserie, Couverture Ganache, Star Anise Roasted Quinces, topped with Autumnal Botanicals (stuff from the garden) and Local Candied Hazelnuts.

Buckwheat Chiffon (adapted from Tartine book 3 recipe by Chad Robertson)

• 206g buckwheat flour

• 7g baking powder

• 4g sea salt

• 100g castor sugar

  sift together

• 114g milk

• 65g egg yolk

• 56g vegetable oil

• 37g water

  blend together and stir into dry ingredients

• 289g egg whites

• 1/4tsp creme of tartar

• 25g castor sugar

  whip egg whites till soft peaks add cream of tartar, whip till firm peaks whilst adding sugar.

  fold 1/3 of egg white whip into batter, then fold remaining in.

  spoon gently into a chiffon pan that has only been greased on the base.

  cook 1hr 15mins in 170c oven.

  invert immediately by balancing a bottle through the hole of the pan, and leave to cool completely.

  use a palette knife and run around the tins edges to relate the cake.

  slice into 1/3rds horizontally.

  spread 1/3 of the ganache, then 1/2 of the creme patisserie, then and layer of quinces. place middle slice of cake on top.

  repeat.

  place final layer of cake on top.

  spread with last 1/3 of ganache and decorate the top with found leaves and flowers from the garden.

  decorate the top with remaining quince slices

  scatter candied hazelnuts over the top (see previous recipe).

  
  

Orange Blossom White Chocolate Creme Patisserie

• 500ml milk

• 1/2 a vanilla pod

  Heat in a saucepan

• 6 egg yolks

• 130g castor sugar

• 50g cornstarch

• 1/2 teaspoon salt

  Whisk in a bowl

  Pour the hot milk over this and whisk at the same time

  Return the whole lot to the saucepan

  Whisk over heat continuously until the custard thickens and is glossy

  let cool

• 50g butter

• 80g white chocolate bits

  Whisk in butter and white chocolate until fully absorbed

  Let cool

Star Anise Roasted Quinces

• 2 large organic quinces from the local co op

• 4 star anise

• 2 cassia bark slivers

• 1/4 cup sugar

• juice of 1 lemon

• water to cover

• Peel and slice quinces, place in oven proof dish with other ingredients, stir, cover and roast in 160c oven for 4-6 hours or until quinces are a deep rosy hue.

Couverture Ganache

• 250g dark courvature chocolate (I use Callebaut because it is easy)

• 600ml cream

  Heat cream until almost boiled, pour over chocolate that is in a heat proof bowl. Whisk lightly until chocolate has melted and incorporated. Let cool.