I encountered egg separating this week while making plate 7 - Sri Lankan Love Cake. I know I probably didn't do Sri Lankan cuisine justice without a spice-laden curry simmering on the stove, but Sri Lankans have an affection for a dessert called Love Cake. And, given yesterday was Valentine's Day, I couldn't resist the connection.
Forget heart-shaped chocolates and corny Hallmarks (although I'm quite partial to beautiful words penned on a pretty card), AJ and I have a tradition of making a meal together on Valentine's Day. For us, the day is just another excuse to cook and eat. In my book, food really is the way to anyone's heart.
I did a wee bit of research on Love Cake and it seems no-one really knows its origins. It's said to be a lasting legacy of the Portuguese influence in Sri Lanka during the 16th and 17th centuries when they dominated the spice trade. The nutty, spicy cake is apparently served at birthdays and other celebratory occasions, so I didn't need any more convincing that it'd be the perfect gift for AJ.
Creating the cake wasn't difficult, especially because of my new-found cavalier attitude to egg separating, and love was certainly in the air as it baked - the smells that permeated from the oven were as heart-warming as a good cuddle. And the taste? Delicious. The blend of cashews, spices, rosewater and honey is great chemistry. Plus, it's good for the waistline - well, sort of. Because the flavours are quite intense and the texture is fairly dense, you only need a small piece to feel satisfied.
My advice, though: don't wait till next Valentine's Day to woo your love with this cake - it's too good to wait a whole year for. Enjoy x
To create the stencil, just cut out letters from a piece of paper and sprinkle over some icing sugar.
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