Summer is such a special time at Gleneagles, especially in the kitchens. We have such an abundance of fantastic ingredients on our doorstep, we’re always making the most of seasonal produce. From asparagus to the summer berries for which Perthshire is so famous, we're spoiled for choice when it comes to cooking up a treat for our guests.
With the incredible weather recently, it has been great to see so many guests enjoying our Signature Afternoon Tea outside on the terrace. I think we must be one of the only locations in Scotland where you can have afternoon tea outside – it makes it all the more special to be able to look out over our glorious gardens and the stunning Ochil Hills before perhaps enjoying a game of croquet – we can even teach you how to play!
If you’re recreating the afternoon tea experience at home, it can be a lot of work and so when I’m looking for a quick fix, I opt for a cake. This recipe for our traditional Dundee cake is perfect to make at home. For me it’s a recipe that evokes memories of times gathered in the kitchen with my family, and it’s a cake I still make to this day. Dundee cake is a traditional Scottish fruitcake with a deep, rich flavour. The cake is often made with currants, sultanas and almonds; ours is also rich with fruit peel. What I like about it is that you can adapt it with your favourite ingredients to make it any way you like.
Although a fantastic cake in its own right, to make it even more of a treat I pile it high with clotted cream and blueberry and whisky jam from our own Gleneagles & Co range – the jam packs a punch as it’s full of Glenturret Whisky! If you’d rather someone else made it for you, I’ve recently added it to our new afternoon tea menu.
We’re also having three very special afternoon teas at Gleneagles this year, designed by three exceptional guest chefs. The first will take place next month and has been created to showcase the produce from Andrew Fairlie’s secret garden – a traditional kitchen garden tucked into a quiet corner of the Gleneagles estate. The afternoon tea will showcase ingredients from the garden, making the most of the seasonal produce. As a one-off collaboration, make sure to book your ticket now!
The Secret Garden Afternoon Tea will be available on August 20-26. To find out and to book your place visit www.gleneagles.com.
Dundee Cake
Makes one cake
Ingredients
Whisky syrup, to soak the fruit
450g sultanas
230g unsalted butter
170g light brown sugar
170g Demerara sugar
4 whole free range eggs
340g plain flour
10g baking powder
3 oranges, zest only
Flaked almonds, for decoration
230g orange confit, for decoration
Method
1. Preheat the oven to 160°C. Line and grease a deep cake tin with baking parchment.
2. Add enough whisky syrup to cover the sultanas and leave to soak for a minimum of 20 minutes. Remove the butter from the fridge to allow it to reach room temperature.
3. In a bowl, add the butter and sugars. Cream the ingredients until they become light and fluffy. You will see it become lighter in colour as air is incorporated into the mixture.
4. Slowly add the eggs, making sure to completely incorporate them into the mix.
5. In a separate bowl, sieve the flour and baking powder. Mix thoroughly before gently adding to the butter, sugar and egg mixture to form the cake batter.
6. Fold the orange zest, sultanas and whisky syrup into the mixture.
7. Pour the mixture into the lined baking tin and sprinkle the top generously with flaked almonds.
8. Bake for one hour 30 minutes or until cooked so that a skewer comes out clean when inserted into the middle of the cake. The cake should be a dark golden colour when it is ready to come out of the oven.
9. Allow the cake to cool for two hours before cutting.
10. Place on to a serving plate and decorate with confit orange.
11. Serve with clotted cream and your favourite tea or coffee.
Phil Skinazi is Executive Pastry Chef at Gleneagles Hotel
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