“These gorgeous little pies are hugely popular in our classes and regularly appear on our menu for morning tea.”
WHAT STARTED A few years ago as one little square in a far corner of the internet feels to have taken on a life of its own. For me, Instagram was a space to dip my toe in the waters of social media, but as time passed, I realised it was becoming much more. Although I only post once a week, on a Sunday, I noticed I was getting more and more comments about what quickly became known as my ‘Sunday Post’. These have continued to grow, and I’ve been surprised and touched by the extraordinary response. The idea that these posts could be brought together in a book initially came from my followers… The seed was planted and after quite some time, I finally found things falling into place. I felt quietly excited every time I sat at my desk to add one more piece to the puzzle. It’s a cross between a cookbook, a journal, a conversation, and reflections on the world around me. This is an edited extract from Belinda Jeffery’s A Year of Sundays (published by Simon & Schuster, $45).
@belindajefferyfood
ORANGE SYRUP CAKE WITH LEMON-SCENTED CREAM AND SUGARED ALMONDS
SERVES 10-12
You’ll need to make the lemon-scented cream at least a few hours ahead.
225g unsalted butter, plus extra for greasing
170g plain flour, plus extra for dusting
2½ tsp baking powder
225g icing sugar mixture, sifted
3 eggs, lightly beaten
100ml freshly squeezed orange juice
Finely grated zest of 3 large oranges
½ tsp vanilla extract or paste
Tiny edible flowers (such as chamomile), optional
LEMON-SCENTED CREAM
1½ cups (375ml) thickened cream
¼ cup (40g) icing sugar, sifted
1 heaped tbs finely grated lemon zest
SUGARED ALMONDS
100g flaked almonds
30g caster sugar
3 tsp Grand Marnier or Cointreau
ORANGE SYRUP
100ml fresh orange juice, strained150g caster sugar1 tbs Grand Marnier or Cointreau
