Desserts Recipes - Peach and Hazelnut Gateau Recipe

Ingredients

Serves 8   

• Butter or oil for greasing

• 175g/6oz caster sugar (plus extra for dusting)

• 75g/3oz plain flour (sifted, plus extra for dusting)

• 3 eggs

• Grated zest and juice of 1 lemon

• 75g/3oz toasted hazelnuts (ground)

• 300ml/1/2pt water

• 700g/1 1/2lb medium peaches

• 300ml/1/2pt whipping cream (whipped to stiff peaks)

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Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F/Gas mark 4. Grease a 23cm/9in round cake tin with butter or oil, then line the base with baking parchment.

2. Dust with a little extra caster sugar and flour. Place the eggs, 100g/4oz sugar and all the lemon zest in a large deep bowl. Whisk vigorously until very thick and light.

3. Fold the sifted flour lightly into the mixture with 50g/2oz hazelnuts. Spoon the mixture into the prepared tin and level the surface.

4. Bake in the oven for about 35 minutes or until firm to the touch. Turn out and cool on a wire rack.

5. Make a syrup from the water, remaining sugar and 2 tablespoons lemon juice. Reserve 2 peaches to decorate.

6. Skin and slice the remaining peaches and poach for 5 to 10 minutes in the sugar syrup, until tender, then drain. Split the gateau into 3 layers.

7. Spread the bottom layer with half the whipped cream and half the peaches, top with the middle third of the gateau and repeat the cream, peaches and top cake layer.

8. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours. At serving time, slice the reserved peaches and use to decorate the top of the gateau with the rest of the hazelnuts.