RECIPE

Very lemony babka piaskowa (Polish sand cake)

Our Digital Designer Aggie Taranowicz is secretly a pro baker, and she shared the recipe for this delicious babka piaskowa (pound cake’s Polish cousin) with us. Give it a try!

Serves: 12
Time: 1hr 20mins
Difficulty: Easy

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Translated to sand babka or sand cake, this recipe by Joseph Joseph Digital Designer Aggie Taranowicz (@agsbakescakes ) uses potato flour for a very light crumb which crumbles with every bite, almost resembling sand. Simple to make, it is a staple for a lot of families and has a familiar taste anyone can enjoy. The lemons can be substituted for oranges.

Method

Ingredients

Step 1Preheat the oven to 200°C fan. Season the chicken legs generously with salt. Heat the oil in a large ovenproof frying pan over a medium-high heat and cook the chicken, skin-side down, for 12-15 minutes, turning occasionally, When it’s done it will be deeply golden and crisp all over. Transfer to the oven and roast for 35-40 minutes, or until the meat pulls away easily from the bone.
Step 2Meanwhile, toast the sesame seeds in a dry frying pan until fragrant and lightly golden. Tip them into a pestle and mortar and crush roughly. Aim for some powder and some larger pieces for texture.
Step 3Once the chicken is cooked, transfer it to a board to rest for a few minutes. Place the pan back over a low heat and stir the ginger, chili and garlic into the chicken juices. Cook for 30 seconds, until fragrant, then turn off the heat and whisk in the miso with a splash of water, the sesame oil, the zest of 2 limes and the juice of 1½. Taste and add more lime juice if needed.
Step 4Shred the chicken into large pieces, discarding the bones, then toss through the warm dressing with a spoonful of the crushed sesame seeds.
Step 5In a large bowl, combine the mint, coriander and salad leaves. Dress them simply with more lime juice and zest, a little salt and the remaining sesame seeds. Pile the chicken onto a platter or serving dish and mound the leaves over the top. Serve immediately with warm rice alongside to soak up all the juices.

4 chicken legs
2 tbsp neutral oil
25g ginger, finely grated
2 garlic cloves, finely grated
1 red chili, finely chopped
1 tbsp white or brown miso
1 tbsp sesame oil
2-3 limes
4 heaped tbsp sesame seeds

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TO MAKE THE CHANTILLY CREAM:

Simply whip the cream with sugar and vanilla until soft peaks. Spoon over a slice of the cake and serve with a blob of lemon curd, and the zest of a lime.