Warm Fig And Chocolate Sponge Cake Recipes

Steps:

• Heat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit/190 degrees Celsius.
• Add 1/4 cup/50 grams sugar to a small, oven-proof, high-sided sauté pan with a 6-inch/15-centimeter base (or similar). Cook over medium-high heat, swirling the pan a few times, until the sugar has melted and turned a dark caramel color, 5 to 8 minutes. Carefully add the rum - it will spit and seize up a little - and cook for another 30 seconds, stirring until combined and thick. Remove from the heat, stir in the orange juice and figs, and set aside to cool.
• Add the egg yolks to a medium bowl along with 2 tablespoons/25 grams sugar. Whisk by hand until pale and thick, about 3 minutes. Add the cream, flour, cocoa powder, vanilla, salt and orange zest, then whisk until smooth and thick.
• In another medium bowl, using a clean whisk, whisk the egg whites by hand with the remaining 2 tablespoons/25 grams sugar until they form stiff peaks, 4 to 5 minutes. Fold gently into the yolk batter, then pour the mixture over the figs in the sauté pan (it should cover the figs completely).
• Sprinkle all over with the chocolate and bake until the batter rises and is cooked through, about 25 minutes. Remove from the oven, divide among four bowls and drizzle with any remaining liquid from the pan. Serve hot, with some crème fraîche alongside.

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Make the cakes: Brush a 6-cup muffin pan with olive oil and dust with flour. Whisk the cocoa powder and 1/4 cup hot water in a small bowl; let cool slightly. Combine the flour, salt and baking soda in another bowl.
• Combine the sugar, egg and egg yolk, vanilla and lemon zest in a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment and beat on medium-high speed until pale and thick, about 1 minute. With the mixer running, drizzle in the olive oil. Add the cocoa mixture and beat until combined. Reduce the mixer speed to low, add the flour mixture and beat until just incorporated.
• Divide the batter evenly among the prepared muffin cups. Bake 10 minutes, then top each cake with a fig half and continue baking until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out with a few crumbs, 8 to 10 more minutes. Let cool in the pan on a rack, 20 minutes. Remove the cakes from the pan and let cool completely on the rack.
• Make the glaze: Put the chocolate, honey, olive oil, salt and pepper in a microwave-safe bowl and microwave in 30-second intervals, stirring, until smooth.
• Top the cakes with the glaze, a drizzle of honey and more pepper. Quarter the remaining 6 fig halves and arrange on top.

Steps:

• Heat the oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Butter a 20 x 22cm ovenproof dish, then pour in the golden syrup and honey. Trim the stalks from the figs, then cut a deep cross in the top, just so they open out a bit, but be careful not to cut all the way through. Sit the figs upright on top of the syrup and put them in the oven to bake for 15-20 mins until softened and starting to caramelise a little at the edges.
• While the figs are cooking, make the sponge mixture. Put the eggs, sugar, flour, baking powder, vanilla and butter in a bowl and use an electric whisk to beat until smooth.
• Remove the dish from the oven, scoop the figs out with a slotted spoon and set aside. Once the syrup mixture has cooled in the dish, take spoonfuls of the sponge batter and gently place them on top of the syrup. It's best to do this all the way around the edge first, then end in the middle - this helps keep the syrup mixture separate. Smooth the batter out very gently to cover any gaps and seal the syrup mixture in.
• Bake for 35-40 mins or until the sponge springs back when pressed. Allow to cool for around 5 mins or until just warm, then seconds before serving, dot the surface with eight small dollops of the yogurt. Top each mound with a baked fig, then scatter over some thyme leaves and drizzle with extra virgin olive oil, if you like.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Spray two 8-inch round cake pans with vegetable oil spray.
• In a medium bowl, sift together flour, salt and baking powder. Set aside.
• In a large mixing bowl, cream butter with the sugar until fluffy. Add egg and beat well. Add flour mixture alternately with the evaporated milk. Fold in vanilla and almond extracts and 1 cup chopped figs.
• Divide into two prepared 8-inch round cake pans. Bake in preheated oven until cake springs back when lightly touched with a fingertip and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, 25 to 30 minutes. Cool cake layers on wire rack.
• To make the filling: In a saucepan, combine 2 cups chopped figs, brown sugar, water and lemon juice. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer and cook until thickened, about 20 minutes. Spread thinly between cooled cake layers and on top.

Steps:

• Cover the dates with boiling water and set aside to soften for 30 mins.
• Heat oven to 160C/140C fan/gas 3 and line a 20 x 30cm baking tin with baking parchment. Drain the dates, reserving the liquid, then whizz the dates to a purée with 100ml of the soaking liquid.
• Beat the egg whites in a large bowl with an electric whisk until stiff peaks hold on the end of your whisk. Add half the sugar and beat until thick and glossy.
• In another bowl, beat the yolks and remaining sugar until pale. Whisk in the mashed date mixture, then fold into the egg white mixture until well combined. Mix the flour, baking powder and cocoa with a pinch of salt. Sprinkle over the wet mixture and very gently fold in until well combined. Gently scrape into the tin and spread to the edges. Bake for 35-40 mins until a skewer poked in comes out clean.
• Meanwhile, mix the custard powder, sugar and cocoa together in a saucepan. Stir in dribbles of milk until you get a smooth paste. Gradually add more milk until it's all incorporated with no lumps. Put over a medium heat and warm, stirring constantly, until thick and just bubbling.
• Cut the warm cake into slabs and pour over the hot chocolate custard to serve.

Steps:

• Preheat your oven to 180c & grease a 10" round springform cake tin.
• Warm the margarine up in the microwave for about 20-30 seconds, it needs to be extremely soft but not liquid.
• In a fairly large bowl, beat the sugar & the warmed margarine together. Unlike a regular sponge, you don't need to do this for more than a couple of minutes - creaming to get it fluffy is not required here!
• Next beat in the eggs, once they are fully incorporated add the baking powder & cocoa powder. Carefully mix them in then quickly beat the mix for a minute.
• Mix in the flour, being sure to get it well mixed & break up any lumps that may be lurking.
• Finally, mix in the water little by little.
• Pour the cake batter into the tin, level off & place in the centre of the oven to bake for 40 minutes.
• As soon as 40 minutes have passed, turn the oven off & leave the cake in there for 10-15 minutes before removing.
• Leave the cake in it's tin for 10 mins then pop out & leave to cool on the serving plate.
• Once the cake has cooled, give it a generous dusting of confectioners sugar.

Steps:

• Line an 8 inch square or round cake pan with waxed paper.
• Place egg whites, cream of tartar and salt in a mixing bowl, beat with electric mixer until foamy.
• Beat in sugar gradually, continue beating until stiff peaks form.
• Beat in egg yolks and vanilla.
• Combine flour and cocoa and fold lightly into egg mixture.
• Spread batter in prepared pan.
• Bake in 325 degree oven 25-30 minutes or until cake springs back when lightly touched.
• Loosen sides with a sharp knife.
• Turn out immediately onto a paper towel lined cake rack to cool.