Pistachio Torte

 

Pistachio Torte

Adapted from Chez Panisse Desserts by Lindsey Shere

This is a version of a recipe that has been in the repertoire of the Chez Panisse pastry kitchen for decades. It was developed in the tradition of European torten, a family of cakes based on ground nuts and containing little flour or other fat. This cake may be prepared ahead and kept at room temperature for a few hours, but it is best served the day it is made.
Ingredients
Cake

11/2 cups pistachios, shelled
1/4 cup cake flour
7 egg whites
6 egg yolks
3/4 cup sugar, granulated
Pinch of salt
1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar
1/4 teaspoon orange rind, finely grated
1 teaspoon orange flower water
Topping

1 cup shelled pistachios
6 tablespoons apricot jam, heated and strained
1/4 teaspoon orange flower water
Pinch of salt
Citrus Compote
2 oranges
6 –7 kumquats
A few drops of orange flower water
Vanilla whipped cream, not too stiff

Directions:
For the nicest possible green color in the finished cake, blanching the pistachios, or removing their inner dark-colored seed coat, is a necessary step. Bring a small pot of water to a boil and add a handful of nuts at a time. Once water returns to a boil, remove nuts with a slotted spoon and rub off seed coat. Dry nuts on a towel, then transfer to a baking sheet and toast in a 300°F oven for about 10 minutes; don't let them brown. Prepare nuts for both the cake (1 1/2 cups) and the topping (1 cup) at the same time.

Butter a 9-inch springform pan; line bottom with a circle of parchment; butter the parchment and dredge with flour, tapping the pan to shake out excess.

Heat the oven to 325°F.

Using a food processor, grind 1 1/2 cups of prepared nuts with flour to a fine meal. In a small bowl, beat egg yolks with half of the sugar until thick and lightened in color. In a large bowl, beat egg whites with salt and cream of tartar into stiff peaks; slowly beat in remaining sugar until they hold stiff peaks again.

Drizzle egg yolk mixture into the bowl with egg whites; grate orange rind over yolk mixture; and drizzle in the orange flower water. 

Sprinkle in 1/4 of pistachio-flour mixture and partially fold everything together. Add another 1/4 of nut mixture and partially fold in; continue until all the nuts are used and the batter is just uniform. Gently scrape batter into prepared pan. 

Bake for 35–40 minutes, or until cake is set and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool in pan for 10 minutes, then remove pan and cool completely on a rack.

Topping, 

Chop 1 cup of nuts carefully into about 1/8-inch chunks. Stir orange flower water and salt into the warm jam and paint the top and sides of the cooled cake. Pat chopped pistachios into the jam in an even layer.

Citrus Compote, 

Finely grate the zest of one orange into a bowl. Using a small, sharp knife, peel the oranges and release the sections from their membranes into the bowl with the zest, squeezing all juice from the membranes. 

Trim stem ends of kumquats, and slice thinly, discarding seeds as you go. Stir kumquats and a very few drops of orange flower water into the oranges.
Serve slices of cake with a spoonful of the citrus compote on the side and a dollop of softly whipped cream on top.

Caribbean Rum Cake

 

Caribbean Rum Bundt Cake

You may remember a similar recipe posted by Myers Rum. The cake is so moist and delicious. One slice will lead to seconds.  There are 16 servings!  Total time is 1 hour 30 minutes.

Ingredients
Cake
4 large eggs
3 large egg yolks
½ cup dark rum
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 teaspoon almond extract
2½ cups cake flour, spooned into measuring cup and leveled-off 
1 cup packed light brown sugar
1 cup granulated sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
¾ teaspoon salt
2 sticks (1 cup) unsalted butter, softened
Glaze
1 stick (½ cup) unsalted butter
¼ cup water
1 cup granulated sugar
¼ cup plus 2 tablespoons dark rum
Generous pinch of salt

Directions:

Begin by combining the eggs, egg yolks, rum, vanilla extract, and almond extract.  Whisk and set aside.

Combine the flour, sugars, and baking powder in the bowl of a mixer with the paddle attachment.  Beat on low speed to combine.  

Add the two sticks (or 1 cup) softened butter and mix.  Beat for a couple minutes until well combined.

Add liquid mixture in three additions, mixing on low while adding liquids and then mix well on medium speed for two minutes with each additional third.

Pour in a prepared Bundt pan and Bake at 350*F 60 to 75 minutes.

Glaze

While cake is baking, melt the butter in a small saucepan.  Add the sugar and water and bring to a boil; then turn the heat down and simmer for 5 minutes until thickened.

Add the sugar and water and bring to a boil; then turn the heat down and simmer for 5 minutes until thickened.

Remove from the heat and stir in the rum.  It will thicken as it sets.

Dios Beigli ~ Hungarian Walnut Roll

   

Dios Beligi

Hungarian Walnut Roll

This walnut roll is a beloved treat in Hungary, found in bakeries all year round but especially at Christmas. It’s a yeasted roll, long and narrow, with a sweet filling — usually walnut (dios) or poppy seed — and a crackly, mahogany-colored crust. The folks at Zingerman’s Bakehouse in Ann Arbor, Michigan shared this recipe with us, one they learned from the longest-standing baking family (five generations) in Budapest, the Auguszts. The family's use of both cake flourand all-purpose flour in their dios is a 100-year-old tradition, one that makes the bread extra tender and soft. The Bakehouse now makes beigli at Christmastime to the joy of their loyal customers and the local Hungarian community.

Ingredients:

Dough
6 tablespoons (85g) water, at room temperature
1 1/2 teaspoons instant yeast
2/3 cup + 1 tablespoon (88g) King Arthur Unbleached Cake Flour
2 cups + 1 tablespoon (248g) King Arthur Unbleached All-Purpose Flour
5 tablespoons (50g) unsalted butter, at room temperature
5 tablespoons (70g) lard or unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/2 cup + 1 tablespoon (64g) confectioners’ sugar
3/4 teaspoon salt
Egg wash
1 large egg, white and yolk separated
Filling
2 3/4 cups + 2 tablespoons (326g) shelled walnuts
3/4 cup (84g) breadcrumbs
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/3 cup (36g) grated lemon rind (zest), or the zest of about 6 large lemons
4 tablespoons + 1 teaspoon (91g) honey
3/4 cup + 1 tablespoon (161g) granulated sugar
1/3 cup + 2 tablespoons (90g) vegetable oil
1/3 cup (76g) water
1/4 cup (37g) raisins

Directions
To make the dough: Weigh your flours; or measure by gently spooning them into a cup, then sweeping off any excess.

In a medium bowl, combine the water, yeast, and cake flour. Add the all-purpose flour, butter, lard (or additional butter), confectioners’ sugar, and salt. Stir briefly, then use your hands to knead the mixture until it comes together in a smooth ball, about 5 minutes.

Divide the dough in half. Flatten each piece into a 6" square and wrap in plastic wrap. Refrigerate the dough for an hour; take this time to prepare the filling.

To make the filling: Finely chop two-thirds of the walnuts (216g, about 2 cups) in a food processor until ground (but not paste-like). Roughly chop the remaining walnuts.

In a large bowl, use a sturdy spoon to mix the ground and chopped walnuts with the breadcrumbs, cinnamon, and lemon zest.

In a small saucepan, combine the honey, granulated sugar, vegetable oil, water, and raisins. Bring to a boil. Remove from the heat and add to the nut mixture, stirring to combine. Spread the filling out on a baking sheet to cool.

Once the dough is chilled, remove it from the refrigerator and place it on a lightly floured work surface. Gently tap it with a rolling pin until it’s soft enough to roll.

Roll each piece of dough into a 10” x 12” rectangle with the short edge closest to you. Brush the edges with water and fold over 1/2” of dough on each side and on the bottom short edge closest to you.

Place half the filling on each piece of dough and spread evenly all the way to the folded edges, leaving about 1” without filling on the top (the short side farthest from you).

Starting from the short side closest to you, roll the dough into a cylinder and place it on a parchment-lined baking sheet, seam side down.

To glaze the beigli: Using a fork, gently beat the egg white in one bowl and the egg yolk in another bowl. Brush the outside of the beigli with the beaten egg yolk.

Loosely cover the beigli with greased plastic wrap and let them rest at warm room temperature (around 75°F is ideal) for about 40 minutes.

Brush the beigli with the beaten egg white then chill, uncovered, for 30 minutes. This step will help create the beigli's final crackled appearance.

While the beigli are chilling, preheat the oven to 350°F.

After the beigli have chilled, use a fork (or an ice pick if you have one) to make evenly spaced holes along the body and sides of the beigli. Push the fork deep into the dough; fifteen piercings will be adequate. This allows steam to escape as the beigli bake, helping maintain their cylindrical shape.

Bake the beigli for 20 minutes, then lower the oven temperature to 330°F and bake for another 35 to 40 minutes, or until the beigli are a beautiful mahogany color on the exterior.

Remove the beigli from the oven and let them cool completely before serving.

Store, well wrapped, at cool room temperature for a few days; freeze for longer storage.  Yield 2 loaves

Chocolate Chip Cookies

Chocolate Chip Cookies

Ingredients:
2 cups minus 2 tablespoons (8 1/2 ounces) cake flour
1 ⅔ cups (8 1/2 ounces) bread flour
1 ¼ teaspoons baking soda
1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
1 ½ teaspoons coarse salt
2 ½ sticks (1 1/4 cups) unsalted butter
1 ¼ cups (10 ounces) light brown sugar
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons (8 ounces) granulated sugar
2 large eggs
2 teaspoons natural vanilla extract
1 ¼ pounds bittersweet chocolate disks or fèves, at least 60 percent cacao content (see note)
Sea salt.

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  Nutritional Information

PREPARATION

1. Sift flours, baking soda, baking powder and salt into a bowl. Set aside.
2. Using a mixer fitted with paddle attachment, cream butter and sugars together until very light, about 5 minutes. Add eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Stir in the vanilla. Reduce speed to low, add dry ingredients and mix until just combined, 5 to 10 seconds. Drop chocolate pieces in and incorporate them without breaking them. Press plastic wrap against dough and refrigerate for 24 to 36 hours. Dough may be used in batches, and can be refrigerated for up to 72 hours.
3. When ready to bake, preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a nonstick baking mat. Set aside.
4. Scoop 6 3 1/2-ounce mounds of dough (the size of generous golf balls) onto baking sheet, making sure to turn horizontally any chocolate pieces that are poking up; it will make for a more attractive cookie. Sprinkle lightly with sea salt and bake until golden brown but still soft, 18 to 20 minutes. Transfer sheet to a wire rack for 10 minutes, then slip cookies onto another rack to cool a bit more. Repeat with remaining dough, or reserve dough, refrigerated, for baking remaining batches the next day. Eat warm, with a big napkin

How To Make Cake Flour

How To Make Cake Flour

Measure out 1 cup of all-purpose flour. Remove 2 tablespoons of all-purpose flour and place it back in your flour canister. Replace the removed all-purpose flour with 2 tablespoons of cornstarch.

Sift flour 5 times. Yes… 5 times. Sifting the flour and cornstarch together will help thoroughly combine the mixture and help to lighten and aerate the flour.

By replacing a bit of the all-purpose flour with cornstarch, we’re removing some of the gluten and replacing it with a tenderizing element. But cornstarch is so neutral, how is it a cake tender? Well, cornstarch works alongside other cake ingredients (like sugar, for example) to inhibit gluten development. It’s ingredients like sugar and cornstarch that compete with the flour for liquid absorption (think: eggs and buttermilk) in a recipe. If flour gets to gobble up all of the liquid in a recipe and is worked in a mixer (like we work cake batter), it’s gluten development will be off the charts… and you’ll basically have a baguette. Cornstarch (and sugar) makes the flour share liquid, easing the gluten development and creative beautifully tender cake texture.