How to use up old bread in a brilliantly fruity North African cake – recipe
Today’s dish is an adaptation of khobz Tunis, which translates literally as “Tunisian bread”, although this citrus cake actually originates from Algeria. It’s a type of drizzle cake made with breadcrumbs and ground almonds, and is light yet sticky and incredibly delicious. The syrup is usually flavoured with orange blossom water, but I used one made with just orange and lemon juice, because that’s all I had.
Orange, almond and breadcrumb cake
I first came across this cake at the Ballymaloe Cookery School in Cork, Ireland, a place I’ve long felt an affinity with, and especially its co-founder Darina Allen, who has an incredible passion for food and a mission to teach people how to cook traditional food. In line with the Slow Food movement, Ballymaloe teaches seasonal cooking in a way that truly respects the soil, our ecology and the people who produce our food.
Ground almonds are delicious but expensive, so this cake’s use of equal amounts of breadcrumbs to ground almonds saves a fair bit of money; it also makes the cake much lighter than other similar ones that use only ground almonds.
Keep surplus bread crusts and bread in a cloth bag, so they dry out, then blend to a fine powder. The dried breadcrumbs will then keep in a sealed jar for up to six months, or even longer.
I’ve also slightly reduced the amount of sugar in the syrup, and flavoured it with optional thyme and bay leaf to add an extra layer of herbaceous flavour.
For the citrus cake
120g fine breadcrumbs
120g ground almonds
180g unrefined sugar
1½ tsp baking powder
4 eggs
200ml oil (olive or sunflower)
Finely grated zest of 1 orange
Finely grated zest of 1 lemon
Yoghurt, or creme fraiche or thick cream, to serve (optional)
For the syrup
Juice of 1 orange
Juice of 1 lemon
75g unrefined sugar
3 cloves
½ tsp ground cinnamon (or a small cinnamon quill)
1 sprig fresh thyme (optional)
1 bay leaf (optional)
In a large bowl, mix the breadcrumbs, ground almonds, unrefined sugar, baking powder, eggs, oil and both citrus zests.
Line 10 muffin tin moulds (or a 20cm cake tin), then pour in the cake mixture and put the tin in a cold oven. Set the heat to 200C (180C fan)/390F/gas 6 and, once the oven comes up to temperature, set a timer for 15 minutes (or 25 minutes if making a larger cake). Once the time is up and the muffins (or cake) have risen and turned light golden brown, insert a toothpick or fork to check the y’re done: it should come out clean. Remove and leave to cool a little in the tin.
Meanwhile, make the syrup. Pour both citrus juices into a small saucepan, stir in the sugar, cloves and cinnamon, and add the thyme sprig and bay leaf, if using. Bring to a boil, turn down the heat to a simmer and cook for three minutes.
Spike the muffins (or cake) all over with a toothpick or fork, drizzle the syrup all over the top, then serve with yoghurt, creme fraiche or double cream, if you like.
