Fast Desserts Recipes - Toasted Madeira Cake with Peppered Oranges

Ingredients

• 110g sugar

• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black peppercorns

• 4 wide strips orange peel, pith removed

• 2 navel oranges, skin and pith removed, each cut into 4 rounds

• 450g Madeira cake, cut into four 2 cm slices

• 1/3 cup (80ml) olive oil

• 250g mascarpone

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Method:

1. Put the sugar, peppercorns, orange peel and 1 cup (250ml) water in a saucepan and stir over a low heat until the sugar dissolves. Increase the heat to medium and simmer rapidly for 10 minutes, or until thick and syrupy.

2. Add the orange slices and cook, covered, for 2 minutes. Remove from the heat and keep warm/

3. Meanwhile, brush both sides of the cake slices liberally with the olive oil and toast under a hot grill for 3-5 minutes each side. or until golden brown all over. Keep warm.

4. Place the cake slices on flour warmed serving plates. Top each piece with two orange slices and spoon on the syrup. Add a dollop of mascarpone and serve immediately.

Note: Unusual as it may seem, the pepper in this recipe marries well with the other ingredients.