torta di clementine
clementine cake
‘The Secret Life of Walter Mitty’ – what a fabulous movie that is! One of my favourites, staring Ben Stiller as Walter Mitty. An inspiring movie about finding the courage to leap into the extraordinary adventure that is life; and celebrates the delightfulness of ‘clementine cake’!!
Shirley Maclaine plays Walter’s mum in the movie, who bakes a killer clementine cake! This cake is featured in snippets throughout, but is more memorably know for it’s bartering powers with Warlords in Afghanistan!! You need to watch this movie!
So it was here, this movie, that inspired me to learn more about (a) clementines and (b) how to bake a ‘clementine cake’ – the one Walter Mitty loves each year for his birthday! Isn’t it amazing how a movie can do that – influence, inspire, motivate, educate! I knew clementine was a fruit, however, I was unaware of its family of origin. I had been privy to candied clementines working in a gourmet deli (twenty odd years ago), but that was it!
Clementines are, in a word, cute, and upon first glance, you might think that clementines are just tiny oranges. But the difference between clementines and oranges is more significant than size and adorableness. Yes, clementines are smaller than oranges, but they’re also sweeter with a thinner skin that’s generally easier to peel. Clementines are less acidic than oranges, as well. The reason for these difference between oranges and clementines is simple. Clementine and oranges are actually two different varieties of citrus fruits. Clementines are more closely related to mandarins, also known as tangerines, which are known “to be relatively small and flat, with a reddish, easily peeled rind”.
Tangerines and clementines are both hybrids of the small-sized mandarin. They’re the second largest cultivated group of citrus fruit after sweet oranges, which include larger sized varieties like navel and blood oranges. They share many of the same characteristics as other mandarins, such as a smaller size compared with navel oranges, few to no seeds, a sweet flavour, and a thin, soft skin that’s very easy to peel. Tangerines and clementines have a similar appearance, so it’s easy to get them confused or think they’re one and the same. The differing factor would simply be there name. Just like tangerines, clementines are more cold tolerant are therefore in abundance now for winter season.
The clementine cake recipe I share with you is a synergy of recipes that have come together! There is Nigella Lawson’s Clementine cake recipe with very minor adjustments by moi, and my ‘clementine glaze (or icing) recipe, along with candied clementine slices to decorate the top of your cake.
As Nigella perfectly puts it…”This is a glorious damp, dense, flourless cake. It tastes like one of those sponges you drench, while cooking, with syrup, only you don’t have to!”. I couldn’t agree more Nigella. And topped with my candied clementines & icing – it truly is heaven.
[mpprecipe-recipe:101]
