Deconstructed Orange-Blossom Cake

This Cake was adapted from Kate Bracks' No-Bake Orange-Blossom Layered Cake, who was the winner of the third series of MasterChef Australia. This dessert takes so little time to make and so easy, anyone can do it. It tasted so good it will definitely get you salivating for more. Yum!!!

Ingredients

325g Savoiardi biscuits (Italian sponge finger biscuits or ladyfingers)

3 cups freshly squeezed, strained orange juice

1 1/2 tbsp Grand Marnier or other orange-flavoured liqueur

1 large blood oranges for topping or zest of orange

1/4 cup pistachios, roasted, halved

Orange-Blossom Cream

2 cups pouring cream

1/2 cup icing sugar, sifted

2 cups mascarpone

1 tsp orange-blossom water

Method (Deconstructed)

* To make orange-blossom cream, using an electric mixer, whisk cream and sugar to soft peaks. Whisk in mascarpone and orange-blossom water until thickened.

* To prepare biscuits, cut all biscuits in half and trim slightly.

* Combine orange juice and liqueur in a container or bowl. Spoon 2 tbsp of the orange-blossom cream into a glass cups. Place biscuits in batches, in juice mixture for 15 seconds or until slightly moist, the place 2-3 pieces on top of cream. 

* Repeat soaking and layering twice more with remaining biscuits, juice mixture and cream. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 4 hours or overnight.

* Scatter with orange zest and pistachios.

Method (Layered)

* Grease a 20cm square pan and line base and sides with baking paper.

* To make orange-blossom cream, using an electric mixer, whisk cream and sugar to soft peaks. Whisk in mascarpone and orange-blossom water until thickened.

* To prepare biscuits, trim ends of all biscuits slightly so that 12 biscuits are able to fit snugly in 2 rows of 6 in a single layer in the prepared pan.

* Combine orange juice and liqueur in a rectangular container or bowl. Spoon one-third of the orange-blossom cream into the pan and level with the back of a spoon. Place 12 biscuits, in 2 batches, in juice mixture for 15 seconds or until slightly moist, then place in 2 rows of 6 in a single layer on top of the cream. 

* Repeat soaking and layering twice more with the remaining biscuits, juice mixture and cream, placing each layer of biscuits at right angles to the layer before. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 4 hours or overnight.

* Invert cake onto a platter. Scatter with orange segments and pistachios to serve.

Recipe adapted from MasterChef Magazine (Nov 2011) by Kate Bracks.