Recipe inspiration: A treat after your workout: wholemeal poppy seed slices with cherries

What’s in it? First of all, a generous portion of wholemeal wheat flour. This not only gives the shortcrust pastry its hearty flavour, but also provides complex carbohydrates that cause blood sugar levels to rise steadily – so for athletes, this is a clear advantage over the short-lived energy provided by white flour. Added to this is wholemeal semolina in the filling, which makes the whole thing nicely filling.

But the real star is the ground blue poppy seeds. Hardly anyone realises what’s hidden in these tiny seeds: calcium, magnesium, iron and healthy fats in considerable quantities. Athletes are well aware of magnesium – it’s the mineral that helps combat night-time calf cramps.

The sour cherries on top are more than just a pretty decoration. They’re considered a real secret weapon for recovery: rich in antioxidants and anti-inflammatory compounds that are good for tired muscles after a workout.

Butter, eggs and milk round the whole thing off with protein and calcium. And what about fresh herbs like basil or mint? They turn a slice of cake into a little work of art – and provide the final proof: healthy and tasty aren’t mutually exclusive.

Ingredients (makes 16 pieces):

• For the shortcrust pastry: 500 g wholemeal wheat flour
• 50 g cornflour
• 125 g sugar
• 2 packets of vanilla sugar
• 250 g softened butter
• 2 eggs
• For the filling: 350 g ground blue poppy seeds
• 160 g wholemeal semolina
• 100 g each of white and brown sugar
• 1 tbsp cornflour
• Zest of 2 organic lemons
• 1 litre of milk
• 100 g butter
• 1 jar of sour cherries (drained weight approx. 350 g)
• fresh herbs for garnishing (e.g. basil, mint, lemon balm)

Method

1 Place a baking tin (24 x 32 cm) on a baking tray lined with baking paper and grease the sides. Preheat the oven to 180°C. Rub all the ingredients for the shortcrust pastry together to form crumbs. Press half of the pastry into the base of the baking ring and set the rest aside. Prick the shortcrust pastry base several times with a fork and bake in the oven for 13–15 minutes, then leave to cool.

2 To make the poppy seed filling, mix the sugar and cornflour in a saucepan. Add the lemon zest and milk, and bring the mixture to a simmer, stirring continuously. Gradually stir in the poppy seeds and semolina, stirring constantly, and bring to the boil once. Remove the mixture from the heat and stir in the butter.

3 Drain the cherries in a sieve, reserving the juice. Spread the poppy seed custard over the pre-baked shortcrust pastry base, then arrange the cherries on top. Sprinkle the remaining shortcrust pastry over the cherries to form a crumble topping. Bake the cake in the oven for 40–45 minutes, then leave to cool completely. Chill for 3 hours.

4 Drizzle the cake with a glaze made from icing sugar and 3 tbsp of cherry juice, as desired, and serve garnished with herbs.

Method: 35 mins baking: 60 mins chilling: 3 hours

​Nutritional values: Per piece: approx. 620 kcal, 11 g protein, 34 g fat, 66 g carbohydrates