Pistachio and Orange Blossom Cake

Recipe by Michael Rantissi, Kepos Street Kitchen

Presented in partnership with @carriageworks & @carriageworksfarmersmarket

Kepos Street Kitchen | Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner in Redfern

Kepos Street Kitchen/Kepos&Co (@keposstreetkitchen) • Instagram photos and videos

Sydney chef Michael Rantissi prepares a delicious treat, perfect for a lockdown birthday or an indulgent afternoon tea. This recipe heroes fresh seasonal ingredients from Carriageworks Farmers Market farmers and producers.

Serves 8-10

220g pistachio nuts

5 large eggs, separated

350g caster sugar

Zest of 1 lemon

1 teaspoon orange blossom water

8 blood oranges, peeled and sliced

½ orange, zest only

300ml blood orange juice

250g mascarpone

300ml pouring cream

2 tablespoons icing sugar

Set oven to fan forced and preheat to 160°C.  Grease a 24cm spring form tin and line the base with baking paper.

Lightly toast the pistachios in a frying pan over medium heat. Allow to cool, then coarsely chop the nuts until they are about the size of rock salt granules.

Using a Smeg stand mixer, whisk the egg whites until you have firm peaks. Put the egg whites in another bowl.

Add the egg yolks and 200g of caster sugar to the mixer bowl (no need to clean it from the egg whites) and whisk until fluffy and creamy. Fold in half the chopped pistachios, then fold in the egg whites, the remaining pistachios, orange zest and orange blossom water. Don’t overfold the mixture as you want to keep it as aerated as much as possible.

Pour into the prepared cake tin and bake for 30 to 35 minutes, until the cake is lightly firm to the touch but cooked through. Remove from the oven and set aside to cool in the tin.

To make the syrup, place remaining 150g sugar and blood orange juice in a saucepan and bring to the boil, reduce for 15-20 minutes or until you have a glossy thick syrup.

Just before serving, whisk the mascarpone, cream and icing sugar until soft peaks form.

Remove the cake from the tin and spread the mascarpone cream over the top. Add the oranges and drizzle with blood orange syrup.