Persian Orange And Almond Cake Food

PERSIAN LOVE CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven at 350 degrees F.
• In a mixing bowl, combine oil and ghee together. Add the sugar and whisk it all together until creamy.
• Then add eggs, one at a time and whisk it very well.
• Next add the thick yogurt and whisk it all together into a fluffy mixture.
• Add rose water, ground cardamom and stir it in.
• Sift the almond flour, all purpose flour and semolina flour, one by one and lightly whisk it in.
• Sprinkle baking powder all over, add pinch salt and incorporate it very well into the mixture.
• Pour the cake batter into a greased 10 inch springform cake pan that has been lined with parchment paper in the bottom.
• Tap the bottom of the cake pan on the kitchen counter to even out the cake batter. Scatter the almond slices all over the cake batter.
• Bake at 350 degrees F for 30 to 40 minutes until it is golden on the top and a cake tester or toothpick inserted into the cake comes out clean.
• While the cake is baking, prepare the syrup.
• Combine honey and orange juice and bring it to a boil.
• Lower the heat and let it simmer for about 5 minutes.
• Then stir in the rose water and ground saffron into the syrup. Turn off the heat and add the pistachios.
• Using a thin wooden skewer or a sharp pointed kitchen knife/utensil poke fine holes all over the cake.
• Pour the warm syrup over the warm cake and let the syrup soak in for several hours or overnight.
• Decorate with fresh or dried edible rose petals and more slivered nuts. Serve with rose water cream if you like (see blog post).

ALMOND CAKE WITH CARDAMOM AND PISTACHIO

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350 degrees. Oil a 9-inch round or square pan and set aside. Using a stand mixer, whisk egg whites until stiff but not dry, and set aside.
• In a medium bowl, combine egg yolks and sugar, and whisk to blend. Whisk in almond extract and oil. Add almond flour and cardamom. Gently stir a third of the whites into the batter, then gently fold in the rest until just incorporated.
• Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 50 minutes. Allow to cool for 10 minutes, then remove from pan and finish cooling on a rack. To decorate, dust with confectioners' sugar and chopped pistachios.