Greed is often a great source of inspiration. For example, this afternoon when I not only want a cup of tea to sip during my afternoon of Netflix and chill, but also want to be able to eat eat too; I then came up with this Earl Grey traybake idea. I love Earl Grey with its bergamot orange aroma. It is my everyday, anytime tea, but if it not your cup of tea, I don't see why you can't use other kind if you want to.
I adore cakes made with ground almonds. I love its nutty flavour and tender, crumbly texture. Also, not that I have celiac disease or lactose intolerant, but this traybake is gluten-free and dairy-free!
Earl Grey Traybake
Makes 16 slices
150 ml olive oil, regular not extra-virgin
250 gr caster sugar
3 eggs
2 bags of Earl Grey tea
150 gr ground almonds
50 gr semolina
1 tsp vanilla
1 tsp baking powder
Zest of 1 orange
Preheat the oven to 170C/325F and grease and line a 20 cm square baking tin with baking parchment.
Using a pestle and mortar, or in a mini food processor, crush 50 gr of the sugar with the tea leaves leaves until a fine powder texture forms.
For ease I use a freestanding mixer, but do use a hand mixer or even you can do this by hand if you want to. But anyway, in a bowl of a freestanding mixer, add the tea mix with the rest of the sugar, olive oil, vanilla and the eggs. Mix with a paddle attachment until you have an aerated, thickened cream.
In a separate bowl, measure and combine the ground almonds, semolina and baking powder. Slowly tip in the dry ingredients to the wet.
Add the zest of an orange and stir with a spatula. Pour the batter to the prepared tin and bake in the oven for 40 minutes or until the sides are set and a cake tester (I always use a stick of spaghetti) come up clean.
Let the cake cool for slightly before slicing and dust with a little powder sugar is you wish.
