gluten-free, dairy-free, nut-free

sometimes cooking for friends seems to be more about juggling people’s different diets, intolerances, dislikes and other random exclusions rather than the pleasure of choosing seasonal ingredients and created an exciting balance of flavours.

having said that, having to think a little bit harder about what to make is never a bad thing as i find it often means i try out new things which often make their way onto the favourites list. socca was one of these and so is this gluten-free, dairy-free, nut-free cake!

the cake is very light and moist which means people are happy to eat several pieces. which is probably a good thing as i don’t think it would last very well. if you want a chocolate version, try the original delia smith recipe that this is based on.

lemon and raspberry roll (serves 4)

6 large eggs, separated

150g caster sugar

zest of 3 lemons

50g rice flour

200g raspberries, roughly mashed

preheat the oven to 180c. oil and then line a swiss roll tin (29cmx18x2)with baking parchment.

beat the egg yolks until they start to thicken. add the sugar and continue beating until the mixture thickens a little more. put the mixture into a large bowl and mix in the lemon zest and flour.

beat the egg whites until they form soft peaks (make sure you use a clean bowl/beater). add a third of this to the egg yolk mix and mix lightly. add the rest of the egg whites and gently fold into the mixture, trying to retain the air and lightness of the egg whites.

pour your mix into the lined tin and bake for 20-25 minutes until the cake is springy and puffy.

when the cake is cold, take it out of the tin but leave the parchment attached. spread the mashed raspberries over the top of the cake then roll the cake up, peeling the parchment away as you do this, to make a roll. dust with icing sugar and serve.