#biscuit cake

I’ve thought about Hybrid Week under the Aussie Bake Off Shed a lot! And as the cake I imagined took shape in my mind, I decided it would make a great Father’s Day dessert! So here’s my Passionfruit and Honey Biscuit Cake -with a rather special Honey and Rum Jelly hidden in it! Happy Sunday!

Ingredients (serves 4 to 6):

For the rum and honey jelly

1 1/2 gelatin leaves

1/2 cup + 2 tablespoons dark rum (like New Zealand’s Stolen)

2 heaped tablespoons Eucalyptus Honey

For the lime biscuit

200 grams/7 ounces unsalted butter, softened

140 grams/3/4 cup caster sugar

1 large egg yolks

1 teaspoon Homemade Vanilla Extract

2 limes

280 grams/2 cups plain flours

For the honey cream

250 grams/8.8 ounces Mascarpone

250 millilitres/1 cup double cream

1/3 cup Honey Syrup

4 ripe, fresh passionfruits

a few Lemon Meringue Kisses

4 Passionfruit Chocolates

Line a small square container with cling film; seat aside.

Place gelatin leaves in a small bowl of cold water; set aside.

In a medium saucepan, combine dark rum and Eucalyptus Honey, and bring to a simmer, stirring until Honey is completely melted. Remove from the heat. Immediately squeeze water out of gelatin leaves, and stir them into the hot Honey and Rum mixture until completely dissolved. Let mixture cool a little, about 10 minutes, then, carefully pour into lined container. Chill in the refrigerator, at least 6 hours until set.

Preheat oven to 200°C/395°F. Line two baking trays with baking paper; set aside.

In a large bowl, cream softened butter with sugar, with a wooden spoon until pale and fluffy. Stir in the egg yolk and Vanilla Extract. Grate in the zest of both limes, and stir energetically to combine. Then , gradually stir in flour. Bring together into a soft, smooth dough with your hands. Divide into two equal portions.

Gently roll out each portion onto a lightly floured surface, until you have roughly a 22cm/8.65″ circle. Place lime biscuit dough circle onto one of the prepared baking tray, and repeat with remaining biscuit dough. Using a 20.35cm/8″ round cake pan, impress a circle onto both biscuit circles. In the middle of each, proceed likewise with an upturned glass.

Place baking trays in the hot oven, and bake, at 200°/395°F, 18 minutes, rotating baking trays halfway through cooking. Once a lovely golden colour remove from the oven, and whilst they are still warm, cut out neat circles using the cake pan and glass. Let cool completely.

In a large bowl, combine Mascarpone and double cream; and beat with an electric beater on high speed until soft peaks form. Continue beating, gradually adding Honey Syrup until stiff peaks just form. Spoon into a piping bag fitted with a star nozzle.

Halve passionfruits, and scoop out the pulp into a small bowl.

Gently turn Honey and Rum Jelly onto a plate, and carefully remove cling film. Cut into small cubes.

Place one of the biscuit onto serving tray. Pipe half of the Honey Cream generously and evenly onto the biscuit. Drizzle with fresh passionfruit pulp and scatter a few Honey and Rum Jelly cubes into the cream. Place second biscuit on top, pressing ever so slightly. Then repeat, piping remaining Honey Cream, drizzling with remaining passionfruit pulp. Arrange a few Honey and Rum Jelly cubes, Lemon Meringue Kisses and Passionfruit Chocolates on top. Chill in the refrigerator until serving time.