Warm raisin cake with melissa and pepper ice cream and a lavender-scented honey glaze – recipe of the week

Recipe from L’uva nel piatto by Bruno Barbieri
Photography –  Janez Pukšič

For 4 portions

Raisin cake:
60 g flour “00”
60 g granulated sugar
60 g melted butter
50 g rum soaked raisins, preferably from Oseleta grapes
2 eggs

Ice cream with melissa and pepper:
1 dl whole milk
5 g glucose syrup
25 g granulated sugar
10 g powdered milk
10 g fresh melissa (Melissa officinalis)
1 pinch of hot red pepper
2 tablespoons of heavy cream

Lavender scented honey glaze:
30 g wildflower honey
3 g lavender flowers*
1 teaspoon of water
10 g granulated sugar

Garnish:
fresh melissa
fresh oseleta grapes

*If fresh organic flowers are not available, they may be substituted with dried flowers. Do take care to select those destined for culinary use because the lavender flowers used in potpourri and cosmetics are treated with essential oils in concentrated form that would be overpowering to the palate.

 

Ice cream with melissa and pepper:
Mix the powdered milk with the sugar and dissolve in the milk. Add the glucose, melissa leaves and the pinch of red pepper. Heat over a low flame, stirring continuously until the mixture reaches at 82 °C. Allow to cool and add the cream. Transfer to a gelato machine and process according to the manufacturer’s instructions.

Lavender scented honey glaze:
Combine the water, sugar, honey and lavender flowers in a small casserole. Heat to 102 °C, allow to cool slightly, filtering while still warm and fluid.

Raisin cake:
Preheat the oven to 190 °C. Butter and flour four small molds (1 dl).
Beat the eggs with the sugar, add the sifted flour mixing well. Press the raisins in a strainer, eliminating any excess liquid, dust them with a little flour then add them to the cake batter. Finally, blend in the slightly warm melted butter. Divide the batter among the prepared molds and bake for 20-25 minutes

Presentation:
While still warm, place each cake in the center of a service plate; slice diagonally and nestle a small scoop of the ice cream between the two halves. Nap the plate with the lavender scented honey glaze and serve immediately. Garnish with fresh melissa and fresh grapes.