Pomegranate Cake Food

SPICED WALNUT CAKE WITH POMEGRANATE MOLASSES FROSTING

Steps:

• Line two 20cm springform cake tins with baking parchment. Whisk the eggs with the sugar in a bowl for 5 mins or so until thick and aereated. Slowly pour in the olive oil, whisking continuously, then pour in the honey and vanilla, and whisk again to combine.
• Heat the oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Combine the flour, baking powder, spices and a pinch of salt in another bowl and mix. Lightly sieve this into the wet mixture, fold in, then add the walnut flour, little by little, until combined. Fold through the chopped walnuts and divide between the tins.
• Bake for 25-30 mins until a skewer inserted into the middle comes out clean. Remove and leave to cool in the tins.
• To make the candied walnuts, tip the walnuts onto a baking tray and roast in the oven at 200C/180C fan/gas 6 for 4-5 mins until crisp. Meanwhile, combine the sugar, molasses and 20ml water in a saucepan, and set over a medium heat until the mixture turns a deep caramel colour (around 3-4 mins). Turn the heat down low, then add the nuts, stirring constantly until completely coated. Remove from the heat and tip out onto a layer of baking parchment to cool.
• To make the frosting, beat together the icing sugar and cream cheese until well combined and smooth (the icing will get thinner before it thickens, so continue to whisk for 2 mins), then briefly stir through the molasses to create a ripple effect. Spread half of the frosting on top of one of the cake layers, then sandwich with the other. Top with more icing, the pomegranate seeds and candied walnuts. Serve cut into slices. Will keep chilled in an airtight container for up to three days.

CHEESECAKE WITH POMEGRANATE SAUCE

Steps:

• For the crust: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Wrap 3 layers of foil around the outside of a 9-inch-diameter springform pan with 3-inch-high sides. Butter the pan.
• Combine the graham crackers, sugar and salt in a food processor and pulse until crumbly. Add the butter and pulse until moistened. Press the crumb mixture evenly onto the bottom and 1 1/2 inches up the sides of the prepared pan. Bake just until golden brown, about 15 minutes. Let cool completely.
• Reduce the oven temperature to 325 degrees F.
• For the filling: In an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the cream cheese on medium speed until fluffy. Add the sugar and vanilla and beat until combined. Add the eggs 1 at a time, mixing well after each addition. Add the sour cream and mix until smooth, about 35 seconds. Pour the filling into the cooled crust.
• Set the cheesecake in a large baking pan. Add enough hot water to the baking pan to come 1 inch up the sides of the cheesecake pan. Bake until almost set (the center will move slightly when the pan is gently shaken) but not puffed, about 1 hour. Let cool at room temperature for 2 hours. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and refrigerate until completely cooled, preferably overnight or for at least 6 hours.
• For the pomegranate sauce: Combine the pomegranate juice and sugar in a saucepan and cook over high heat until reduced to 1/2 cup, about 15 minutes. Let cool. Add the pomegranate seeds and mix to combine.
• Pour the pomegranate sauce on top of the cooled cheesecake and serve.

POMEGRANATE CHEESECAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
• Using a food processor, grind up the shortbread, almonds and ground cardamom into fine crumbs.
• Pour into a bowl, drizzle with melted butter and toss together with a fork until they are evenly blended.
• Press this mixture firmly into the bottom and partly up the sides of a ten inch springform pan, and bake on the bottom rack of the oven for fifteen minutes. (Bake for ten minutes if you have a convection oven.).
• Remove from oven and cool completely.
• Turn oven down to 300 degrees, and place a roasting pan or baking pan full of water into the bottom rack. (This creates a moist environment in the oven and helps keep the top of the cheesecake from drying out and cracking or becoming rubbery.).
• Beat together the cheese, sugar and vanilla until well blended and light and fluffy on high speed. Beat for two minutes. Scrape down bowl and beat for another thirty seconds.
• Whisk together eggs and egg yolks and add to mixture with the pomegranate juice concentrate or pomegranate molasses. Beat on medium speed for about one minute to combine thoroughly. Scrape down bowl and beat for thirty more seconds.
• Pour filling into pan, and place on the center oven rack. Bake for one hour and fifteen minutes (50 minutes if you have a convection oven) until the cake appears golden and set. A tester inserted into the center should come out looking dry.
• Cool the cake in the pan on a wire rack until it comes to room temperature, then cover and refrigerate for eight hours.
• To serve, remove from refrigerator and wipe down the outside of the springform pan with a towel dampened with very hot water. Dip a table knife or icing spatula in hot water, wipe it dry and run it around the interior edge of the pan, loosening the sides of the cake. Unlock the spring, and remove the side of the pan.
• Blend together the juice concentrate and pomegranate spread with a whisk. Pour over the top of the cake, making certain to drizzle some of it artfully over the sides in decorative rivulets.
• Sprinkle the top of the cake thickly with pomegranate seeds, until it resembles a geode encrusted with garnet crystals.
• Serve on plates upon which pools of the pomegranate syrup have been poured, if desired.

VANILLA & POMEGRANATE CAKE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 160C/140C fan/gas 3. Grease and line a 20cm loose-bottomed cake tin. Beat the butter and sugar with an electric whisk until pale and creamy. Add the eggs one at a time, then add the lemon zest and juice and vanilla extract. Fold in the flours with a metal spoon until well mixed. Transfer to the cake tin, smooth the top, then bake for 50 mins until risen and golden.
• To make the syrup, mix the lemon juice with the pomegranate juice, caster sugar and vanilla, then heat gently until the sugar dissolves. Increase the heat and reduce slightly until syrupy. Remove from the heat and cool slightly, then tip in the pomegranate seeds.
• Remove the cake from the oven. Allow to cool for a few minutes before poking holes all over it with a skewer and pouring over the pomegranate syrup. Enjoy warm or cool completely in the tin.

SPICED POMEGRANATE-PEAR CAKE

Steps:

• In a small saucepan, combine juice, brown sugar and ginger. Cook and stir over medium heat until sugar is dissolved; remove from heat. Stir in vanilla. Place pears in a bowl or shallow dish; pour juice mixture over pears and turn to coat. Cover and refrigerate at least 4 hours., Meanwhile, preheat oven to 350°. Line bottoms of 3 greased 8-in. round baking pans with parchment; grease paper. In a small bowl, combine milk and vinegar; let stand 5 minutes until curdled. In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in vanilla. In another bowl, whisk flour, baking powder and salt; add to creamed mixture alternately with milk mixture, beating well after each addition. , Transfer to prepared pans. Bake until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, 18-20 minutes. Cool in pans 10 minutes before removing to wire racks; remove paper. Cool completely., Drain pears, reserving marinade; pat dry. For frosting, in a large bowl, beat butter, 2 tablespoons reserved marinade, vanilla and, if desired, food coloring until blended. Beat in confectioners' sugar alternately with enough milk to reach spreading consistency., To assemble cake, using a long serrated knife, cut each cake in half horizontally. Place 1 cake layer on a serving plate; brush with 1/4 cup reserved marinade. Top with 2/3 cup pears. Top with another cake layer; spread with 1/2 cup frosting. Repeat layers, ending with remaining cake layer. Frost top and sides of cake with 2 cups frosting. Pipe remaining frosting around top and bottom edges. Sprinkle pomegranate seeds over top of cake. Refrigerate at least 2 hours before serving.

POMEGRANATE CAKE

Steps:

• Grease and flour an 8-inch cake pan.
• In a mixing bowl, beat eggs until foamy and gradually add sugar.
• Continue beating until mixture is stiff and full of air.
• Sift flour and baking powder, divide in three parts and fold into the egg-sugar mixture, alternate with the pomegranate juice.
• Transfer the batter to the cake pan and bake at 350 degrees F for 35-40 minutes.
• Cool for 10-15 minutes and turn out on a cake plate.
• Dust with powdered sugar or frost with a butter cream frosting.