Honey Mahleb Cake with Manouri Mousse, Orange Blossom, Figs in Sweet Wine, Caramel Glaze and White Chocolate Crumbs

Honey cake with mahleb

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C. Prepare a 33x18 cm baking pan sprayed with baking spray or greased with neutral oil.
2. In a bowl combine the flour, almond flour, mahleb, baking powder and soda. Separately whisk the egg, sugar, olive oil, honey and orange juice vigorously with a whisk. Pour the wet mix into the dry and stir until homogeneous.
3. Pour into the pan and bake on the middle rack for 20 minutes.
4. Cool in the pan 10 minutes, then unmould and cool completely. Cut into 12 rectangles of 9x5 cm — only 9 are needed. Can be made up to 3 days ahead; store well covered at room temperature.

Figs 5. Combine all ingredients in a saucepan and heat over high heat until boiling. Reduce to medium and cook until the liquid reduces, about 20–25 minutes. Off the heat, mash with a potato masher or fork and cool completely. Can be made a day ahead; store covered in the fridge.

Manouri mousse 6. Crumble the manouri into a bowl; add the cream cheese and condensed milk and beat with a mixer until combined (small manouri lumps are fine). Flavour with orange blossom water. 7. Melt the soaked gelatine over a water bath and add to the cheese mixture while beating. 8. Whip the cream to soft peaks and fold into the cheese mixture with a spatula.

Assembly in silicone moulds 9. Use a 9-cavity 100 ml silicone mould set on a tray in the freezer. Fill cavities halfway with manouri mousse. Pipe a line of fig jam along the length, then fill with the remaining mousse. Tap gently on the table to release air and level the surface. Freeze overnight. Can be made up to 1 month ahead; store covered in the freezer.

Caramel glaze 10. Make a dry caramel from the sugar in a heavy-bottomed pot over medium-high heat: add 1/3 of the sugar and let it caramelize, swirling gently. When light amber, add another 1/3, then the last 1/3. If it darkens too fast, lower the heat. Aim for a dark amber caramel — do not over-darken or the flavour suffers. 11. Carefully add the boiling water (it must be truly boiling; the mix will bubble violently). Stir until homogeneous; if lumps remain, lower heat and stir until dissolved. Add the hot cream and bring to a boil. 12. Whisk in the cornstarch dissolved in water and cook 2 minutes over medium-high until thickened. Off the heat, add the dissolved gelatine and vanilla sugar. Mix well and cool to 26°C. 13. Unmould the frozen desserts onto a rack over a tray and pour the glaze over. Collect and reuse the drippings. If it stiffens, reheat over a water bath to 26°C.

Arranging 14. Transfer each glazed dessert onto a honey cake base, positioned toward one end to leave a little space. Place a lemon biscuit in white chocolate there. Decorate with whipped cream or mousse, fresh figs, dried petals and chocolate plaques. Best stored in the fridge up to 3 days; decorate on the day of serving.