Poppy seed torte

Unbalanced

% Daily Values based on a 2,000 calorie diet

Step 1

Cream the butter and icing sugar together. Separate the eggs and add the yolks to the bowl, mixing until very light and creamy.

Step 2

Add the lemon juice, zest, rum, vanilla extract, poppy seeds and ground hazelnuts and mix well.

Step 3

3 Preheat the oven to 180C/350F/gas mark 4. Grease with butter or line with baking paper a 24cm-wide springform cake tin.

Step 4

4 Beat the egg whites into peaks, then add the caster sugar slowly, beating until the mixture is smooth and shiny. Gently fold into the poppy seed mixture with a wooden spoon.

Step 5

5 Pour the mixture into a tin and smooth the surface. Bake for an hour. When the torte starts to darken, cover with foil.

Step 6

6 Allow to cool in the tin. When the torte is cool enough to handle, remove from the tin and leave to cool on a cake rack.

Step 7

7 Slice the torte in half horizontally and spread the lower half with redcurrant jelly, then reunite. Cover the top of the torte with a thin layer of the jelly and set aside to dry. 8 Mix the icing sugar with the 2 tbsp rum and spread the glaze with a palette knife, letting it drip down the sides. Allow the glaze to dry before serving.