Apple Cake With Maple Orange Zest And Pistachios Food

MAPLE APPLE CAKE

Steps:

• For the apples: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter the bottom and sides of a 9-inch springform pan and sprinkle with some maple sugar to coat the butter.
• Heat a 12-inch cast-iron skillet over medium heat and add the 2 tablespoons butter. Add the apples and maple sugar and stir to combine. Saute until caramelized, but not cooked through, about 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and set aside.
• For the crumble: Mix the cornmeal, flour, oats, light brown sugar, maple sugar, cinnamon and salt in a bowl. Add the diced butter and use a fork to mash the ingredients together until they become coarse crumbs.
• For the cake: To the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, add the butter, maple sugar and syrup and whip until light and fluffy. Add the eggs and creme fraiche, mixing on low speed. Add the flour, baking soda, allspice, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg and salt and stir to combine. Stir in the vanilla extract. Add the batter to the prepared springform pan, topping with the sauteed apples. Gently nestle the apples into the cake batter.
• Put the crumble topping over the apple mixture. Put the springform pan on a baking sheet and bake until cooked through, about 1 hour. Allow to cool slightly, about 15 minutes, before removing from the pan. Slice into wedges and serve.

GRANDMA LORRAINE'S APPLE ANGEL FOOD CAKE

Steps:

• Place apples in large bowl with 1 can soda and 1 1/2 cups water. Let sit for 5 minutes.
• In a large skillet over medium heat melt butter. Add brown sugar, molasses, maple syrup, cinnamon and salt. Stir until sugar has dissolved and starts to simmer. Add apple brandy, pecans, raisins and apples. Reduce heat to low and let simmer for about 15 minutes or until apples are tender and liquid has reduced to a syrupy consistency.
• Slice angle food cake into wedges and top each slice with apple mixture.

BUTTERY PISTACHIO CAKE WITH CREAM CHEESE BUTTERCREAM AND BLACKBERRY COMPOTE

Steps:

• For the cake: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Spray three 8-inch cake pans with nonstick cooking spray.
• In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the sugar, pistachios, butter and salt on medium speed. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Mix in the vanilla.
• Add the flour and baking powder and mix on low speed until smooth. Pour into the prepared cake pans and bake until a tester inserted in the center comes out clean, 20 minutes. Cool the cakes in the pans on racks for 10 minutes, then invert onto the racks and cool completely.
• For the blackberry compote: Combine the blackberries, sugar and lemon juice in a saucepan. Bring to a boil over low heat. Let cool.
• For the buttercream: Combine the sugar and 3/4 cup of the water in a pot and bring to a boil. Combine the cornstarch with the remaining 1/4 cup water in a small bowl and add to the boiling sugar mixture. Combine the white chocolate chips and vanilla in a large heatproof bowl. Pour the boiling sugar mixture over the white chocolate chips and mix well. Let cool to room temperature.
• Pour the melted chocolate mixture into the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Add the butter and mix on low speed until incorporated, then mix on medium speed until light and fluffy. Add the cream cheese and mix until combined.
• To assemble: Place a cake layer, top-side up, on a cardboard disc. Pipe a 1-inch border of buttercream around the top and fill in with 2 scoops of buttercream. Spread 1 scoop of blackberry compote evenly on top. Stack the second cake layer, top-side down and repeat with the buttercream and compote. Set the final cake layer, top-side down, on top. Frost the top and sides of the cake with buttercream.

CANDIED ORANGE ZEST

Steps:

• Heat the 1 cup of sugar and water to a boil. Add peels and simmer until they are transparent, about 12 minutes. Syrup should be thick. Remove from syrup and toss in sugar, let dry, away from humidity. Store in an airtight tin.
• TIP:
• RED ORANGES
• Use blood oranges in your favorite recipes as you would regular oranges. Taste for sweetness, you may have to add a bit more sugar in some recipes