Turkish coffee cake and espresso

I was casting around for a dessert to make for friends on Saturday when I remembered this fantastic coffee cake from chef Margot Henderson’s book You’re all Invited. I suppose it’s more of a mid-morning or tea-time treat but I sometimes prefer cake to a full-blown pudding at the end of a rich meal.

It’s not as intensely coffee-flavoured as it sounds from the name. There’s a shedload of soft brown sugar - and sour cream - in the recipe which makes it taste quite fudgy (did I say it was light? Er, hem…) but you get that nice dark rich coffee taste without it being at all bitter.

I paired it on the night with a Noval 10 year old tawny port but it would also have been delicious with an Aussie port drinkalike like the D’Arenberg Nostalgia Rare Tawny or with a sweet oloroso sherry, madeira or marsala. But I enjoyed it most the following morning when I scoffed a piece for breakfast with a cup of espresso (which I always dilute with a bit of hot water). A black Americano would also hit the spot.

I do urge you to get the book which full of equally lovely recipes and quite delightful. You can read about Margot who happends to be married to Fergus Henderson of St John here or visit her restaurant Rochelle's Canteen which I'm ashamed to say I've so far not managed to get to.