Ovar Sponge Cake with Orange, Orange Gelato, Cinnamon Crumble

Introduction

I first made a version of this cake on a whim at seventeen with my best friend Patrícia, using a recipe from some kitchen robot cookbook. We spent the afternoon messing about at the hob, and the result didn’t look promising. To our amazement, from the first bite we knew it would be one of the best cakes we’d ever taste. And it was.

Instructions

For the orange gelato:

1. Make the gelato several hours ahead: in a saucepan, warm the juice of 2 juicy oranges with 1 tbsp sugar, without boiling. When the sugar has dissolved, turn off the heat.

2. Whisk the yolk with the remaining sugar and cornflour.

3. Pour a little of the hot juice into the yolk mixture, whisking constantly. Then add the rest of the juice, still whisking so the yolk does not curdle.

4. Return to low heat and stir constantly until thickened like pastry cream. Turn off immediately.

5. Pour the cream onto a shallow plate and cover with cling film touching the surface so it doesn’t form a skin. Chill for 10–15 minutes until cool.

6. Whip the cream only until it holds soft peaks.

7. Fold the cream into the pastry cream and freeze for at least 3 hours.

For the cake:

1. Preheat the oven to 190°C.

2. Put the yolks and whole eggs in a bowl. Whisk on high speed until tripled in volume and creamy.

3. Add the juice of ½ orange and the vanilla extract without stopping the whisk.

4. Add the sugar, spoon by spoon, still whisking, plus a pinch of salt.

5. When incorporated, turn off the mixer and fold in the flour gradually with a clean hand.

6. Butter a loose-bottom tin. Line the base with baking paper and butter the paper too.

7. Pour in the batter and bake on the top shelf. Place a tray on the shelf below so heat from the bottom doesn’t burn the base. Bake for 12–15 minutes.

8. Remove from the oven and leave to cool for 15 minutes.

For the cinnamon crumble:

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C.

2. In a bowl, mix flour, sugar and cinnamon.

3. Rub in the cold butter with your fingers until sandy.

4. Line a shallow oven tray with baking paper, spread the mixture evenly.

5. Bake for 12–15 minutes, stirring halfway.

6. Remove and leave to cool and crisp.

To serve:

1. One hour before serving, take the gelato out of the freezer.

2. Cut a slice of cake and place on a plate—the centre should still be liquid. For a runnier centre, bake a little less.

3. Beside the slice, add a spoonful of crumble. On top, quenelle the gelato.

4. Finish with orange zest.