Spice is the final flourish on a dish and a cornerstone of Bengali cuisine. And for chef Ahana Dutt (Firedoor, Raja), of Plate It Forward’s Kolkata Social, it’s also the star ingredient in her saffron cream (the silky finishing touch on this recipe for vanilla pound cake). “Pound cake is something I have vivid memories of my mum making. The other dessert she used to make was sweetened saffron yoghurt. I’ve melded them together to add tartness to a very rich cake and seasonal fruits (currently persimmon) for some freshness,” she says.
In this recipe, Dutt calls on her own childhood nostalgia — fusing the traditional flavours of sugar and vanilla with the floral, honey-like spice notes of the saffron cream. “We had a heart-shaped cake tin that she used to bake the [vanilla pound] cake in. Just the smell of butter, sugar and vanilla essence, is so comforting and filled with nostalgia,” she says.
And if saffron (for the cream) isn’t available, Dutt suggests topping with almond flakes for texture, or combining frozen berries into the batter. “If you want to make the cream itself, but don’t have saffron, add honey and make it into a honey cream,” she says.
As for the best way to serve it? Dutt recommends slightly warm. “We serve it with the saffron cream, but it’s delicious with cold custard and a dash of brandy, too.”
Ahana Dutt’s Vanilla Pound Cake
Ingredients
Cake:
Plain flour 200g
Caster sugar 200g
Softened salted butter 200g
Free range large eggs 2no
Vanilla pod ½
Baking powder 1tsp
Saffron Cream:
Sour cream 150g
Yoghurt 150g
Sugar 50g
Saffron (I use Sabor Co) 6-8 strands
Method
For the Saffron Cream:
- Whisk your sour cream and yoghurt with the sugar till they form soft peaks.
- Add in your saffron strands and gently incorporate. Reserve.
For the Cake Batter:
- Preheat your oven to 180 degrees Celsius.
- Add the softened butter in your mixing bowl and dust in your sugar.
- Beat the sugar into the butter with the back of your wooden spoon to incorporate the sugar completely. The mixture should lighten in colour and get fluffy.
- Scrape the vanilla seeds out of the pod using the back of a small knife or butter knife.
- Crack two eggs in a separate bowl and add it to your butter and sugar mix. Add the vanilla as well. Stir to incorporate. Scrape down the sides with your spatula.
- Sift in your flour and baking powder. Using your spatula, fold in the flour into the butter and egg mix. You don’t have to be too careful, the recipe is very forgiving, just ensure all the dry ingredients are completely mixed in.
- Line your loaf tin with baking paper. I add a bit of the batter to the sides and bottom to make sure the paper doesn’t move.
- Scrape in your cake batter into the tin and use your spatula to even it out.
- Bake for 35-40minutes, or till a skewer comes out clean.
- Let it cool in the baking tin for an hour or so and then remove.
- Serve with a generous dollop of the saffron cream.
