Olive Oil, Sage & Pineapple Skillet Cake

As much as we love butter cakes, olive oil is a game changer when it comes to baking homely treats. With floral and fruity notes, it lends a fragrant and almost earthy flavour to your dessert when paired with any ingredient – in this case, some fresh sage leaves and sweet and zesty pineapples. Fight the temptation to finish it up while knowing that it only gets better over time.

Yield: Serves 8
Prep Time: 25 mins
Cook Time: 60 mins
Difficulty Level: 3/5

Ingredients

• 3 eggs
• 1 cup (220 g) caster sugar
• ⅔ cup (160 ml) pineapple juice
• 100 g butter, melted
• ½ cup (125ml) extra virgin olive oil, warmed
• ½ cup (75g) plain flour
• ⅓ cup (55g) polenta
• 1 tsp baking powder
• ¾ cup (120 g) finely chopped

DRIED PINEAPPLE

• ½ cup fresh sage leaves
• 2 tsps extra virgin olive oil, extra
• 2 dried pineapple rings, extra

SAGE ICE-CREAM

• 2 cups (500 ml) milk
• 2 tbsps finely chopped fresh sage leaves
• ½ cup (110 g) caster sugar
• ¼ tsp sea salt flakes
• 4 egg yolks
• ½ cup (125 ml) thickened cream, chilled

Steps

01. You will need to start the ice-cream 4 hrs ahead.

Make sage ice-cream.

03. Preheat oven to 150 C. Oil a 26 cm (top measurement) ovenproof cast-iron frying pan; line base and side with a sheet of baking paper.

04. Place eggs and sugar in a heatproof bowl over a saucepan of simmering water. Whisk vigorously until the mixture is pale and thick with soft peaks. Remove from the heat; stir in juice, butter and oil.

05. Process flour, polenta, baking powder, pineapple and ¼ cup of the sage using the pulse button until fine crumbs form. Fold polenta mixture through oil mixture. Pour mixture into frying pan.

06. Bake for 1 hr or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean.

07. Meanwhile, line a small oven tray with baking paper. Place remaining sage leaves on tray; drizzle with extra oil. Cook with cake for the final 8 mins of cooking time or until sage is crisp.

08. Serve warm cake with sage ice-cream, topped with extra pineapple and crisp sage leaves.

SAGE ICE-CREAM

01. Bring milk, sage, ¼ cup of the sugar and the salt almost to the boil in a medium heavy-based saucepan, stirring. Remove from heat; stand for 30 mins.

02. Using a stick blender, blend until sage is very finely chopped; strain mixture over a jug. Beat egg yolks and remaining sugar in a bowl with an electric mixer on high speed for 1 min or until thick and pale. Reduce speed to medium; gradually add strained milk. Return to pan; stir over medium heat for 10 mins or until mixture thickens slightly and coats the back of a spoon.

03. Strain custard through a fine sieve into a heatproof jug; discard solids. Cool. Stir cream into custard. Churn in an ice-cream machine according to manufacturer’s instructions. Transfer to an airtight container. Cover; freeze for at least 2 hrs or until firm.

Photo: bauersyndication.com.au