ingredients
serves: 8 to 10
300 ml water
125 g (4 1/2 oz) butter
1 1/2 cup (150 g) plain flour sifted
1/2 tsp vanilla
4 medium size eggs, beaten
1/2 cup (50 g) 2 oz flaked almonds
125 g stem ginger, chopped
284 ml whipping cream whipped with 1 large spoon syrup taken from ginger
1/3 cup (50 g) icing sugar (confectioners sugar)
method
1. Heat the water and butter in a pan slowly until the butter melts. Bring to the boil, add the flour all at once and beat until the mixture leaves the side of the pan. Cool slightly, then add the essence. Reserve one spoonful of egg then gradually add remainder to the pan, beating well after each addition.
2. Spoon the choux paste into a 25 cm ring on a greased baking sheet. Brush with the reserved egg and sprinkle with the almonds.
3. Bake in a preheated hot oven 220°C, 425°F, gas mark 7 for 15 minutes. Lower the heat to 190°C, 375°F, Gas Mark 5 and bake for a further 25 minutes, until golden.
4. Split the cake horizontally. Scoop out any uncooked pastry and return the halves to the oven for 5 minutes.
5. Fold the ginger into the whipped cream and use to sandwich the cake together. Sprinkle with icing sugar.
