Roasted Apricot Vanilla Quinoa Cakes with Sweet Wine Syrup
Individual quinoa cakes enriched with roasted apricot puree and vanilla bean create an elegant dessert that balances nutty quinoa texture with sweet, caramelized fruit. Pedro Ximinez wine adds depth to the roasted apricots, which serve both as puree within the cakes and whole fruit garnish. The olive oil keeps these cakes moist while almond meal provides richness. Perfect for dinner parties or special occasions when you want to showcase seasonal stone fruit in an unexpected way.
Ingredients
- 2 ¾ cups raw superfine sugar
- 1 vanilla bean, split, seeds scraped
- 16 small apricots, halved
- 7 tbsp Pedro Ximinez, or other sweet dessert winemarsala wine1:1vegetarian
sweet fortified wine works best
- 3 ¼ oz white quinoa, rinsed
- 1 cups water
- 4 large eggs
- 15 tbsp olive oil
- 1 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
- 3 ½ oz almond meal
- 1 tsp baking powder
- toasted flaked almonds
Instructions
- 1
Preheat oven to 400°F
- 2
Scatter sugar in small baking tray, add vanilla seeds and mix
- 3
Place apricots cut side down in sugar, press in, then turn over
- 4
Pour Pedro Ximinez over apricots and roast for 20 to 25 minutes until golden and tender
- 5
Halfway through roasting, remove and spoon liquid over apricots
- 6
Transfer half the apricots and 2 tablespoons pan juices to food processor and puree
- 7
Place quinoa in small saucepan with vanilla bean and water
- 8
Bring to boil over medium high heat, reduce to low and simmer for 12 to 15 minutes until tender
- 9
Drain any remaining liquid, remove vanilla bean and cool quinoa for 15 to 20 minutes
- 10
Reduce oven to 350°F and grease 8 dariole moulds, dust with flour
- 11
Whisk eggs and remaining sugar in electric mixer until pale and fluffy
- 12
Add oil and whisk to combine
- 13
Sieve over flour and baking powder, add almond meal and fold through
- 14
Add apricot puree and quinoa, mix to combine
- 15
Pour into dariole moulds and bake for 20-25 minutes until golden and centers spring back when pressed
- 16
Cool in moulds for 10 minutes, turn out onto wire rack
- 17
Serve warm or at room temperature with remaining roasted apricots, toasted almonds and syrup
Tips
Press apricots firmly into sugar to ensure good caramelization and prevent them from drying out during roasting.
Cool quinoa completely before adding to batter to prevent eggs from cooking and creating lumpy texture.
Test doneness by gently pressing cake centers - they should spring back and feel firm to touch.
Good to Know
Store covered at room temperature for up to 3 days or refrigerate for up to 1 week
Cakes can be made 1 day ahead and stored covered, roasted apricots keep refrigerated for 3 days
Serve with dollop of cream or thick Greek yogurt alongside roasted apricots and syrup
Common Mistakes
Don't skip cooling quinoa completely to avoid cooking the eggs when mixing
Press apricots into sugar firmly to avoid burning during roasting
Substitutions
standard size works
sweet fortified wine works best
FAQ
Can I make these without the quinoa?
Yes, replace quinoa with additional 90g almond meal or flour for traditional texture, though you'll lose the interesting nutty bite.
What if I don't have dariole moulds?
Use standard muffin tins or small ramekins instead, adjusting baking time as needed and checking doneness by pressing centers.
How long do these keep?
Store covered at room temperature for 3 days or refrigerate for 1 week. Bring to room temperature before serving for best texture.