Pistachio And Blackberry Cake Food

BLACKBERRY CLOUD CAKE WITH PISTACHIOS

Steps:

• Toss 2 containers blackberries (about 3 cups) with 2 tablespoons granulated sugar; let stand for at least 2 hours, tossing occasionally, until berries release juices. Refrigerate until ready to use.
• Meanwhile, preheat oven to 325 degrees. Line a 10-by-15-inch rimmed baking sheet with parchment; coat with cooking spray. Whisk egg whites with a mixer on medium speed until soft peaks form, 2 to 3 minutes. Sprinkle with remaining 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar. Raise speed to high, and whisk until stiff peaks form, about 5 minutes. Whisk in cornstarch, vinegar, and vanilla. Spread meringue evenly into sheet pan. Bake, rotating halfway through, until puffed and top is pale gold, 20 to 22 minutes. Let cool in sheet pan on a wire rack.
• Puree remaining container blackberries (about 1 1/3 cups) in a food processor, and strain through a fine sieve; discard solids. Whisk cream and confectioners' sugar until soft peaks form. Add 1/3 cup puree, and whisk until stiff peaks form.
• Run a knife along edge of cake to release. Generously dust top with confectioners' sugar, and top with another piece of parchment. Flip cake, and peel off original parchment. Working with shorter end of cake facing you, spread cream on cake, leaving a 1-inch border at bottom and a 2-inch border at top. Tightly roll cake into a 10-inch log, starting with bottom edge and using parchment as a guide. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour. Trim edges of cake, and slice. Serve topped with reserved berries and sprinkled with pistachios.

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.

LITTLE PISTACHIO CAKES

Steps:

• Heat oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4 and grease a 12-hole silicone muffin or friand mould, then dust with a little flour, and tip out the excess (a metal tray will work too, but line with muffin cases, as the mixture may stick). Put the pistachios in a food processor and blitz until finely chopped but not greasy. Add the remaining cake ingredients and blend again into a creamy mixture. Use 2 spoons to fill each hole of your tray 2/3 full, place on the middle shelf of the oven and bake for 15 mins or until a skewer inserted comes out clean. Leave to cool in the mould for 10 mins, then run a knife around the edge of each cake and turn out onto a wire rack.
• Meanwhile, make the icing. Using an electric hand whisk, blend 3 tbsp of the cream cheese with the butter until smooth, then add the remaining cream cheese and icing sugar. Whizz again until creamy, transfer to a piping bag fitted with a small round nozzle, and chill until ready to use.
• When the cakes are cool, pipe spikes of icing on top of each one, then sprinkle with chopped pistachios. Can be made ahead - store the un-iced cakes in a sealed container for up to 3 days and chill the icing for 2 days.

BLUEBERRY & PISTACHIO CAKE WITH CARDAMOM CREAM

Steps:

• Heat oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Lightly grease and line the base of 2 x 20cm sandwich tins with baking parchment. Grease the tins again, dust with a little caster sugar and a little flour, then tap out any excess.
• Put the eggs and sugar in a heatproof bowl and, using an electric whisk, mix briefly to combine. Place the bowl over a pan of steaming water and continue to whisk until the mixture is pale and thick - when the whisk is lifted, the mixture should leave a trail on the surface lasting about 5 secs. Remove the bowl from the pan and continue beating for 2 mins.
• Continue to whisk the mixture while trickling the melted butter around the edge of the bowl. Sift in the flour and ground pistachios, very gently give the mixture 2-3 folds, then add the blueberries and fold again, being careful not to knock out all the air. Divide the mixture between the tins and bake for 25-30 mins, until a skewer inserted comes out clean.
• To make the filling, beat the butter and sugar together until pale and fluffy. Add the cardamom, then drizzle in the cream. Continue to beat until light and airy.
• Cool cakes in their tins for 10 mins, then turn out onto a wire rack. Remove lining paper when completely cooled. Sandwich the cakes together with the cardamom cream, top with some more, then decorate with pistachios and blueberries.