Halva Gateau

CAKE 3/4 cup superfine sugar

3/4 cup unsalted butter -- softened

3 eggs -- beaten

1/3 cup strong coffee

1 1/2 cups plus 2 tablespoons semolina

1 tablespoon baking powder

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 1/3 cups ground almonds.

SYRUP 3/4 cup superfine sugar

1/3 cup strong coffee.

HALVA CREAM 4 ozs. Halva -- broken in pieces

3 tablespoons strong coffee

1 cup superfine sugar

12 tablespoons unsalted butter -- softened.

DECORATION 1/4 cup pistachios -- chopped.

Preheat oven to 425F (220C). Grease and line 2 deep 8-inch round cake pans with waxed paper. To make a cake, in a bowl, cream sugar and butter until light and fluffy. Gradually beat in eggs and coffee. Stir in semolina, baking powder, cinnamon and ground almonds. Divide between prepared pans and bake in oven 10 minutes. Lower temperature to 350F (175C) and bake 10-15 minutes, until a skewer inserted into center comes out clean. Let stand in pan 2 minutes, then turn each out unto a wire rack placed over a plate. Meanwhile, make syrup. Put sugar and water into a sauce pan and heat gently until sugar has dissolved. Boil 4 minutes, remove from heat and stir in coffee. Bring back to boil, pour over cake and cool.

To make Halva cream, in a sauce pan, heat Halva, coffee and sugar gently, until smooth; cool. In a bowl, beat butter until soft, then beat in Halva mixture. Sandwich cakes together with half of Halva cream. Spread with remaining cream and decorate with nuts. Makes 8 servings.