Lemon Pistachio Cake Food

PISTACHIO, COURGETTE & LEMON CAKE

Steps:

• Put 150g of the pistachios and the sugar in a food processor and whizz until the nuts are very finely ground.
• Heat oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4, grease a 20 x 30cm cake tin and line the base with baking parchment. Tip the pistachio sugar into a big mixing bowl with the butter, flour, baking powder and bicarb, eggs, yogurt and the zest and juice from 2 of the lemons. Beat with an electric whisk until smooth and combined.
• Stir in the courgette until everything is well mixed, then scrape into the prepared tin. Bake for 35-40 mins until the cake is risen and golden, and a skewer poked into the centre comes out clean. Leave to cool.
• When the cake has fully cooled, remove from the tin and peel off the baking parchment. Sift the icing sugar into a bowl, and gradually stir in enough lemon juice to get a runny-ish consistency. If you run out of juice, carry on mixing with water. Drizzle thickly over the cake, and repeat with lemon curd, if you like. Roughly chop the remaining pistachios and scatter over the icing, along with the remaining lemon zest. Leave to set for 10 mins, then cut into squares and serving with Greek yogurt. Will keep for 3 days in an airtight tin.

LEMON-FROSTED PISTACHIO CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line the bottom of an 8-inch nonstick cake pan with parchment paper.
• In a mixer fitted with a paddle, cream together the butter and superfine sugar until light and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time, then add the ground pistachios and almonds. Add the orange juice, orange zest and rosewater, and mix well. Using a rubber spatula, fold in the flour; do not overmix.
• Scoop the mixture into the cake pan, and bake until the top is firm and a light golden brown, about 40 minutes. Lightly cover the top of the cake with foil and continue baking until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out dry, about 10 minutes. Allow the cake to cool in the pan for several minutes, then remove and cool on a rack.
• When the cake is cool, make the icing: mix the confectioners' sugar and lemon juice together in a small bowl, and pour over the cake. If desired, decorate with crystallized rose petals and pistachios. Allow the icing to set for 30 minutes before serving.

LEMON-PISTACHIO LOAF

Steps:

• Place a rack in middle of oven; preheat to 325°F. Grease a 9x5" loaf pan with vegetable oil, then line with parchment paper, leaving overhang on long sides. Oil parchment paper (for insurance and an easy release).
• Pulse pistachios in a food processor until finely ground (it's okay if some of the pieces are a bit larger). Set aside a heaping tablespoonful.
• Whisk lemon zest, flour, granulated sugar, baking powder, salt, and remaining pistachios in a large bowl. Whisk olive oil, 2 Tbsp. lemon juice, remaining ⅓ cup vegetable oil, and ½ cup water in a small bowl to combine. Pour oil mixture into dry ingredients and fold with a rubber spatula to combine, being very careful not to overmix (this batter contains a high ratio of liquid, which means it can get gummy if overworked). Pour into prepared pan and tilt to distribute; batter should come halfway up the sides.
• Bake cake until golden brown all over, it springs back when gently pressed, and a tester inserted into the center comes out clean, 50-60 minutes. Transfer pan to a wire rack and let cake cool completely in pan, at least 2 hours. Using parchment overhang, lift cake out of pan and place on rack. Peel away parchment.
• Whisk powdered sugar and 3 Tbsp. lemon juice in a medium bowl, drizzling in remaining 2 Tbsp. lemon juice as needed until you have a thick but pourable glaze. Pour glaze over cake, letting it drip down the sides. Immediately top cake with reserved pistachios, then let sit until glaze is set, at least 30 minutes.
• Do Ahead: Cake can be made 3 days ahead. Store airtight at room temperature.

LEMON PISTACHIO CAKE WITH ROSEMARY, MASCARPONE LEMON MOUSSE AND LEMON CURD

Steps:

• For the lemon pistachio cake: Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Line a half-sheet tray with parchment paper.
• In the bowl of a food processor, pulse the pistachios and 1/4 cup flour until the nuts are finely ground.
• In the bowl of an electric mixer, cream together the butter and granulated sugar until very light. Beat in the pistachio paste and lemon zest and juice, then add the eggs one at a time. Scrape down the sides with a rubber spatula and beat in the pistachio and vanilla extracts. In a small bowl, mix together the nut and flour mixture, salt, baking powder and remaining cup flour. Beat the dry ingredients into the batter.
• Spread the batter evenly in the lined half-sheet tray. Bake for 15 minutes, then rotate the tray and continue to bake until the cake springs back lightly when touched and a cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean, another 10 minutes. Allow the cake to cool in the tray for 10 minutes, then gently remove from the tray.
• For the lemon curd: Combine the lemon zest, juice, granulated sugar, eggs and salt in a medium saucepan and whisk to a homogeneous consistency. Place over medium heat. Cook, whisking constantly, until the mixture has thickened, 12 to 15 minutes.
• Remove from the heat and whisk in the butter, 2 pats at a time, until it's incorporated and has a silky consistency. Transfer to a bowl. Place a piece of plastic wrap over the top, pressing down on the surface of the curd to prevent a film from forming. Put in the fridge to chill for 1 hour.
• For the lemon mascarpone mousse: In a large, chilled bowl, whip the heavy cream to stiff peaks. In another large bowl, whip the mascarpone and granulated sugar together until fluffy. Whip in half of the lemon curd. Fold in the whipped cream and use a rubber spatula to fluff the mousse. Transfer the mousse to a piping bag fitted with a star tip.
• To assemble the cake: Cut the cake into individual cakes with a 3-inch ring cutter.
• Spread a dollop of lemon curd on the bottom of a plate. Place 2 cake rounds on top. Pipe a round of mousse onto each cake.
• Garnish each cake with chopped pistachios, a dusting of powdered sugar and the chopped rosemary.

INDIVIDUAL PISTACHIO BUNDT CAKES WITH LEMON CURD FILLING

Steps:

• For the lemon curd: In a medium saucepan over low heat, combine the sugar, lemon juice, lemon zest, egg yolks and whole eggs, and whisk to combine. Cook, stirring frequently, until the temperature reaches about 168 degrees F on an instant-read thermometer, 6 to 10 minutes; the curd should be thick enough to coat the back of a spoon. Remove from the heat and whisk in the butter, a piece at a time, whisking each addition until fully combined.
• Transfer the curd to a bowl and place a piece of plastic wrap directly on the curd to prevent a skin from forming. Let cool to room temperature, then refrigerate until chilled, at least 1 hour and up to overnight.
• For the Bundt cakes: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Grind the pistachios to a powder in a small food processor or grinder.
• Brush two 6-cavity mini Bundt pans with butter and dust with the pistachio powder.
• In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt. Set aside.
• In a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, beat the butter and sugar together on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating until completely combined. Beat in the pistachio cream and sour cream.
• Reduce the mixer speed to low and add the flour mixture in two additions. Spoon about 1/4 cup of the batter into each Bundt mold and smooth batter on top.
• Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, 20 minutes. Invert the cakes onto a wire rack and let cool.
• Fill each cake center with 2 tablespoons of the chilled lemon curd.

LEMON PISTACHIO ANGEL CAKE

Steps:

• Finely grate peel from 2 lemons (save for cake), then squeeze out 1 cup juice. In a medium large sauce pan, whisk sugar with cornstarch. Whisk in lemon juice, eggs and egg yolks until blended. Set over medium heat, stirring constantly until mixture boils, 7 - 10 minutes (cornstarch will prevent it from curdling).
• Remove from heat and stir in cubes of butter until combined. Sieve into a bowl. Place a piece of plastic wrap on surface and refrigerate until cold.
• Prepare angel food cake as per instructions, folding in lemon peel at the end. Bake and cool as directed on package. When cake is cooled, cut horizontally in half.
• Place bottom layer on a cake plate and spread with about half of the lemon curd. Place top of cake on curd. Spread top with a layer of curd (there will likely be leftover curd).
• Sprinkle with pistachios and chocolate.