'Coffee-Walnut' Coffee Cake Recipe

Recipe adapted from "Easy Breakfast & Brunch" (Ryland, Peters & Small, $19.95) 6 eggs, separated 2/3 cup sugar 2 1/2 cups walnut halves, finely ground 3/4 cup day-old bread crumbs 2 tablespoons sugar Coffee syrup: 1 1/4 cups strong black coffee 1/2 cup sugar 3 star anise Whipped cream Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9-inch springform cake pan. Put the egg yolks in a large bowl and add 2/3 cup sugar; beat until pale and sugar is almost dissolved. Stir in the ground walnuts and bread crumbs. (The mixture will be very stiff at this stage.) Beat the egg whites in a separate bowl until soft peaks form, then gradually beat in the 2 tablespoons sugar. Stir in a large spoonful of the beaten egg whites into the cake mixture, then fold in the rest until evenly mixed. Spoon into the prepared cake pan and bake in the preheated oven for 35-40 minutes, or until risen and springy to the touch. Remove from the oven and leave the cake in the pan. Meanwhile, to make the coffee syrup, put the coffee, sugar and star anise in a saucepan. Heat until the sugar dissolves, then boil for 5-6 minutes, or until syrupy. Let cool slightly. Using a wooden toothpick, spike the cake all over the surface, then drizzle with half the syrup. Set aside to cool slightly. Serve the cake still warm with lightly whipped cream and the remaining coffee syrup spooned around it in a pool. Serves 8. Note: Star anise is a pretty, star-shaped dark brown pod that can be found in Asian markets or in the spice aisle of most supermarkets. Per serving: 445 calories; 29 g fat (4 g saturated fat; 59 percent calories from fat); 40 g carbohydrates; 165 mg cholesterol; 84 mg sodium; 11 g protein; 2 g fiber. Go here Kate Lawson reports-- http://www.detnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080110/OPINION03/801100403/1348/OPINION0304