Pistachio and Rhubarb Cake

To me, this is a very satisfying cake to make. The most complex part is blitzing the pistachios to form a crumb. You can use a stand mixer for this recipe, however if your butter is very much at room temperature (or you are using an alternative like margarine, which is the perfect consistency straight from the fridge), you could just use a wooden spoon to mix it all together in a large mixing bowl. 

The flavours are also exactly what I want to eat. Obviously I always want to eat cake that contains pistachio, and rhubarb adds a lovely sweet yet tart element to the whole thing that feels just right. 

The inspiration for this cake came from the many times I have been looking at Tilly Pamment’s new book ‘The Plain Cake Appreciation Society’ of late, and my eye constantly being drawn to the recipes that used pistachio and those that used rhubarb. Tilly’s book uses a lot of flavours that I love to bake with and eat, and it gave me an idea to create a simple cake with some things I already had ingredient wise. 

I basically always have pistachios of some kind on hand, and we have had some rhubarb in the freezer for a few months now that is crying out to be used. The pistachios add a really nice green colour to the cake, and also a great texture too. And as much as I love a cake with icing, I also really like that this cake doesn’t need one. The slightly chewy texture the pistachios give the outer of the cake is perfect the way it is. It also means a slice of cake can be enjoyed a little sooner, which is a win in my books. 

Pistachio and Rhubarb Cake

Ingredients: 

175g unsalted butter, softened

175g caster sugar

1 tsp vanilla extract

2 eggs

125g raw pistachios

175g self raising flour

150g rhubarb, cut into 2cm pieces

1 tbsp slivered or roughly chopped pistachios 

Method: 

Pre-heat oven to 160 degrees Celsius and grease and line a 20cm round springform or loose bottomed cake tin.

Using a food processor, grind the pistachios into a fine crumb/meal (the same consistency as almond meal). Don’t over process or you may end up with pistachio nut butter, rather than pistachio meal. 

In the bowl of a stand mixer add the butter, sugar and vanilla. Beat using the paddle attachment until light and fluffy. Add the eggs separately, beating well after each. 

In a separate bowl whisk together the flour and blitzed pistachios, then add to the batter and gently mix until just combined.

Transfer the cake batter into the tin and smooth the top. Push the rhubarb into the top of the cake a little, evenly covering the cake in the rhubarb pieces. Scatter the slivered pistachios over the top of the cake.

Bake for about an hour, or until the cake is springy to the touch and a skewer comes out clean when inserted into the cake. 

Leave the cake to cool before removing from the tin. 

Serves 8, stores well in an airtight container for 3-4 days.

Carrot Cake with Quince Syrup and Spiced Buttercream

I love a good carrot cake. The recipe is always easy, no need for a mixer, and can be adapted quite a lot too. 

This most recent adaptation came about when it suddenly occurred to me that quince syrup could be substituted for the usual honey/golden syrup often used in carrot cakes. I buy sticky quince syrup from Singing Magpie Produce, and I’m not sure if there is anyone else who produces a similar product. 

While I highly recommend buying from Singing Magpie Produce, if you are outside Australia or wish for another alternative, date syrup/molasses can be used instead. In fact I’m sure many other fruit based syrups/molasses could be trailed in a recipe like this. I just wouldn’t try pomegranate molasses, as it would be too tart. 

Using a product such as quince syrup rather than honey or something similar, allows the cake to be less sweet - though the buttercream here makes up for that! However the combination is quite nice as they compliment each other. This is also a nice cake without icing too if you want to keep it as it is. 

You could make this cake an Easter carrot cake by decorating with small Easter eggs or similar. 

Carrot Cake with Quince Syrup and Spiced Buttercream

Ingredients: 

75g panela or brown sugar

125ml canola or vegetable oil

125ml quince syrup (I use this one)

3 eggs

1 tsp vanilla bean paste

225g plain flour

2 tsp baking powder

1 tsp bicarb soda

2 tsp ground cinnamon

2 tsp ground cardamom 

3 medium carrots, grated

For the icing:

150g unsalted butter, at room temp 

1 tsp vanilla bean paste

190g icing sugar, sifted

1 tsp ground cinnamon

1 tsp ground cardamom 

Method: 

Preheat oven to 160 degrees Celsius and grease and line a 20cm round springform cake tin.

In a large bowl whisk together the sugar, oil, quince syrup, eggs and vanilla.

Then add the flour, baking powder and spices. Sift in the bicarb soda and whisk together until combined.

Then add the grated carrots to the cake mixture and mix to combine. 

Pour the batter into the prepared tin and smooth the top with a spatula. 

Bake for 40-45 minutes, or until the cake is golden, springy to the touch and a skewer comes out clean.

Remove the outer edge of the cake tin and allow the cake to cool on a wire rack.

To make the icing, beat the butter and vanilla in a stand mixer with the paddle attachment for at least 1 minute, or until the butter is light and fluffy. 

Add the icing sugar and spices and beat for a further minute or two, or until the icing sugar is well combined and the icing is light and fluffy. 

Spread the icing over the cake.

Serves 8-10. 

Pistachio Loaf with Rose Icing

I think my love of pistachio is fairly widely know by now. Sometimes people even send me messages or tag me in things on Instagram about pistachio related things or products they think I should know about. I love it. 

I genuinely crave pistachio flavoured things, and this cake is no exception. 

It is a slight adaptation of a loaf cake from my Cosy Winter Bakes eBook, and closely related to this Rose Petal and Pistachio Cake. The recipe in its original form came from Skye McApline, and like any really good recipe, it has lent itself to many adaptations and variations. It’s been the recipe that keeps on giving. 

This version uses a subtly scented rose glaze icing to complement the pistachio cake, and is my new favourite version of this recipe.

Pistachio Loaf with Rose Icing

Ingredients: 

200g unsalted butter, softened

190g caster sugar

1 tsp vanilla extract

120g pistachio butter*

60g white chocolate, melted

3 eggs

120g yoghurt

200g self raising flour 

Ingredients for the Icing: 

170g icing mixture

1.5-2 tbsp rosewater

dried edible rose petals, to decorate

slivered or roughly chopped pistachios, to decorate

Method: 

Preheat oven to 170 degrees Celsius and line a 22 x 10 x 8.5 cm (approx.) loaf tin.

In the bowl of a stand mixer beat the butter, sugar and vanilla until pale and creamy. Mix together the pistachio butter and melted white chocolate, then add to the butter mixture and mix until combined. 

Add in the eggs one at a time, then add the yoghurt and mix until well combined. Add the flour and mix on low speed until combined and the batter is smooth.

Transfer the batter to the prepared cake tin and bake for 50 minutes. Then cover the cake with foil and bake for a further 20-25 minutes, or until the cake is cooked through. 

Allow the cake to cool in its tin for a few minutes, then turn out on a wire rack to cool further.

Once the cake has almost completely cooled down make the icing by, mixing together the icing sugar and 1 tbsp of the rosewater, adding more a little at a time until you have a smooth spreadable icing (it shouldn’t be really runny or it will run off the cake). 

Spread the icing over the cake, allowing it to fall over the sides a little. Sprinkle with some dried edible rose petals and slivered pistachios to decorate. 

*or the same quantity of lightly toasted pistachios blitzed in a food processor until it forms a butter (10-20 minutes). 

Reference: ‘A Table for Friends’ by Skye McAlpine (Bloomsbury Publishing, 2020) p.232.

How to Bake with Panela Sugar - Plum & Panela Cake with Vanilla & Panela Ice Cream

This recipe not only celebrates our lovely in season plums, but also a fantastic organic and unrefined sugar called Panela. Panela sugar is a product of dried sugar cane juice. It retains the beneficial nutrients and minerals (so that makes this cake healthy, no?) and has a caramel like flavour. I found it worked so well with the slightly tart flavour of the plums, and gave the cake a rich golden colour. 

I was introduced to Panela sugar by Sophie, one half of the Ballarat based business Grounded Pleasures. Sophie and I met last year at a Local is Lovely Workshop, at which she brought along some of the Grounded Pleasures products which mostly consist of exquisite hot chocolates. We made hot chocolates the old fashioned way over the gas stove in the shed in which our workshop was hosted in. And since it was a very chilly Winters day, they were much welcomed by everyone. 

Sophie told us about some of the other products they sell at Grounded Pleasures, which included the Panela Sugar, vanilla (beans & extract) and a Real White Drinking Chocolate. I was quite interested in the latter, since I am unable to eat (or drink) chocolate for health reasons and thus always miss out on a warming cup of hot chocolate in Winter. 

Soon after the workshop, I got some of the Panela Sugar and the White Hot Chocolate and instantly loved cooking and eating/drinking both. The Panela Sugar is easily substituted in many recipes where caster sugar is called for, and I found it added a lovely depth of flavour to muffins in particular. 

Since then Sophie has sent me some more of their delicious products, which has lead to much recipe inspiration. I found the Panela Sugar and vanilla products not only worked really well in this cake, but also made a really nice simple homemade ice cream. The Panela Sugar gave a rich caramel flavour and colour to the simple vanilla ice cream, which paired well with the cake, but also tasted so good on its own as a simple mid-week dessert. 

A note on using vanilla beans in baking - don’t throw away the vanilla pods after the seeds have been used in the cake/ice cream. Keep them to make vanilla sugar or homemade vanilla extract, even without the seeds the pods retain a lot of flavour. 

Plum & Panela Cake

Ingredients: 

125g flavourless margarine, or softened unsalted butter

150g Grounded Pleasures Organic Panela Sugar, plus extra

1 Grounded Pleasures Organic Vanilla Bean, seeds scraped

1/2 tsp Grounded Pleasures Organic Vanilla Extract

75g plain flour

2 tsp baking powder

150g almond meal

3 eggs

2 plums (any variety)

Method:

Preheat oven to 170 degrees Celsius. Line a 20cm round loose bottomed (or springform) cake tin with baking paper.

Beat the margarine/butter with the Panela sugar, seeds of the vanilla pod and the vanilla extract, until fluffy and creamy. In a separate bowl, gently whisk together the flour and baking powder.

Add the eggs one at a time to the creamed mixture, beating well after each addition. Then fold in the plain flour and baking powder, along with the almond meal. 

Pour the mixture into the prepared tin and smooth the top. Cut the plums in half, then in half again. Then slice up each plum quarter into 3 or 4 slices. Place the plum slices onto the top of the cake, working your way around the outside of the cake then moving into the middle (you might not need all of the two plums, it will depend on their size). Keep the slices of plum fairly close together as they will separate a little when the cake rises. Sprinkle the plums with some more Panela sugar. 

Bake for 40 minutes, or until the cake is golden in colour and a skewer comes out clean. The cake will be a deep golden colour due to the Panela sugar. 

Leave the cake in the tin for 10 minutes, before transferring to a wire rack to cool - alternatively serve warm as a dessert with the Vanilla and Panela Ice Cream. 

Vanilla & Panela Ice Cream

Ingredients: 

165ml full cream milk 

6 tbsp Grounded Pleasures Organic Panela Sugar

250ml pouring cream 

1 tsp Grounded Pleasures Organic Vanilla extract

1 Grounded Pleasures Organic Vanilla bean, seeds scraped

Method: 

Whisk the milk and Panela Sugar together until the sugar has dissolved and the milk has become frothy. Then add the cream, the vanilla extract and the seeds of the vanilla bean and whisk until combined. 

Transfer mixture into the bowl of an ice cream machine, and process according to machine instructions. Once ready, transfer ice cream into a freezer safe container and freeze for at least 4 hours (overnight is best). 

References: ‘Holiday’ by Bill Granger (Murdoch Books, 2007), p.124; ‘Lomelino’s Ice Cream’ by Linda Lomelino (Roost Books, 2015), p.13.

Thanks to Grounded Pleasures for sponsoring this post and providing the Panela Sugar, Vanilla Beans & Extract!

Strawberry & Earl Grey Cake + How to Make Strawberry & Earl Grey Jam

Happy New Year! I hope everyone has had a lovely start to 2017. I am kicking off my first blog post for 2017 and celebrating three years of blogging, with this Strawberry Earl Grey Cake with Homemade Strawberry Earl Grey Jam. This cake, and the accompanying jam, are inspired by a Strawberry & Earl Grey jam I bought in Fortnum & Mason three years ago. They also make Earl Grey Shortbread which I love and compounded my desire to get my hands on some bergamots or bergamot essence so I could recreate these biscuits and jam at home. 

For about two years, I scoured gourmet food shops, online stores and kept an eye out pretty much wherever food is sold for bergamot essence. I didn’t hold out much hope for an actual fresh bergamot, but more on that in a moment. 

It wasn’t until later last year I was listening to back episodes of my new found favourite podcast, Radio Cherry Bombe, that I finally found someone who made bergamot essence. One of the interviewees for this particular episode was Mandy Aftel. Mandy creates fragrances from natural essences and also has a line of Chef’s Essences within her business, Aftelier Perfumes. 

As soon as I heard Mandy talking about her Chef’s Essences, I quickly looked up her website (while I was on the train to work no less), and checked what flavours she creates. And success! Finally I had found not only someone who stocked bergamot essence, but also shipped to Australia! I was beyond excited, and purchased some that night when I got home. I also picked up some blood orange essence and raspberry essence as well - I mean if you are going to pay for shipping you might as well get a few things right?! I have used the blood orange essence in marshmallows as an addition to blood orange juice, and will share a recipe on the blog soon that uses the raspberry essence. 

Not long after I found Aftelier Perfumes and received my coveted bergamot essence, I found a citrus tree supplier in Sydney who stocked bergamots! I was actually searching for nursery’s that sell blood orange trees, but happily stumbled across the bergamot as well! We now have a small bergamot tree, with three bergamots growing nicely, and a small blood orange tree which will hopefully fruit next year. If it were up to me alone we would have walked out with a quince, pomegranate and peach tree as well, but space in the garden not permitting we compromised on my favourite citrus instead. 

So now all is right in the bergamot searching world, and the list of baked goods I wish to create with it continues to grow. Next on my list will be recreating the Fortnum & Mason Earl Grey Shortbread! 

Recipe notes: The jam recipe is easily doubled. The bottled jam should keep for a year unopened so there is no harm in making more! A coarsely grated apple (I prefer pink lady) can also be added as part of the quantity of fruit. Apples naturally contain pectin so will help the jam set, and are a nice option if you don’t have pectin or jam sugar. 

The bergamot in both the jam and the cake can be either left out completely or substituted for vanilla. For the jam, either stir in a teaspoon or two of vanilla bean paste at the end of the cooking time or cut a vanilla bean in half and add at the beginning of the recipe then remove when bottling the jam. For the cake use either 1 tsp of vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste, or even a little lemon zest (or bergamot zest if you have any fresh bergamots!) in place of the bergamot essence.

Strawberry Earl Grey Jam

Ingredients: 

500g strawberries, hulled and roughly chopped

40 ml lemon juice, plus extra 

440 g jam sugar (or the same of white sugar with about 2 tbsp pectin added)

3-4 drops bergamot essence, or 1 tbsp earl grey tea leaves tied in muslin

Method: 

Begin by placing two small plates in the freezer. You will need these later to test if the jam is jelling and ready to bottle. 

Then, pre-heat the oven to 90-100 degrees Celsius, wash four or five small/medium jam jars and lids in hot soapy water, then place the jars upside down on an oven shelf. Allow the lids to air dry. Leave the jars in the oven for at least 20 minutes. 

Whilst the jam jars are being sterilised, start making the jam. Using a large heavy based saucepan (preferably enamel, stainless steel or aluminium), mix all the ingredients together, including the muslin wrapped tea if using or 1-2 drops of the bergamot essence if using. Place on the stove and stir over high heat without boiling, until the sugar dissolves, then bring to the boil. Reduce the heat and allow the jam mixture to simmer uncovered for 15-20 minutes without stirring. The jam mixture should have reduced by the 15-20 minute mark (particularly if you are using jam sugar) and will also appear to have thickened. If necessary stir the jam a little ensure it is cooking evenly. 

After 15-20 minutes test the jam to see if it has reached jelling point. To test the jelling point of the jam, use one of the chilled plates and drop a small amount of the jam onto it. Leave for a couple of minutes, then push your finger through the jam. If a skin has formed over the jam and you can now see it wrinkling, the jam is ready. If it is not ready, leave to cook for a few more minutes and/or add some extra lemon juice or pectin. Then use the remaining chilled plates to test if the jam has jelled. Check the earl grey flavour at this point, if you need more add another drop or two of the bergamot essence if using.

Once the jam has reached jelling point, remove the sterilised jars from the oven and place onto a flat surface covered with an old tea towel (so much easier than cleaning sticky jam of your bench!). Using a wide mouthed funnel or jam funnel, pour the hot jam into the hot sterilised jars. Fill right to the top and seal immediately. Leave to cool, and store in a cool dark place. This jam should last about 1 year stored correctly and unopened. Once opened keep in the fridge.

For jam making tips please see this previous post. 

Strawberry Earl Grey Cake

Ingredients: 

125 g canola based (or other flavourless) margarine or softened unsalted butter

165 g golden caster sugar (raw caster sugar)

1-3 drops bergamot essence

2 eggs 

250 g self-raising flour

105 ml milk 

300 ml pouring cream

1/2 tsp vanilla bean paste

strawberry early grey jam

extra strawberries to serve

Method: 

Pre-heat oven to 160 degrees Celsius, and line two 18 cm round spring form or loose bottomed cake tins. 

In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat the margarine/butter, sugar and 2 drops of bergamot essence until light and fluffy. 

Beat in the eggs one at a time, then add half the flour and half the milk and mix. Add the remaining flour and milk and mix on medium speed until well combined. Taste the batter at this point if you want to check the bergamot flavour - add a drop more if you want the flavour to be stronger and briefly mix into the batter.

Divide the mixture evenly into each cake tin and smooth the top. Bake for about 40-50 minutes or until the cake is lightly golden in colour, springs back when touched lightly and a skewer comes out clean. 

Cool in the tin for a few minutes then transfer to a cooling rack and leave until completely cooled.

Once the cakes have cooled completely, whip the cream with the vanilla until soft peaks form. Place one cake on a serving plate or cake stand and spread some of the strawberry earl grey jam over the top - start with 1-2 tbsp and go from there. 

The thickness and consistency of your jam will determine how much you use. The thicker and more set it is the more you can use without it running down the sides. Spread 1/2 to 3/4 of the cream over the jam and top with the remaining cake. Gently spread the remaining cream over the top of the finished cake and decorate with fresh strawberries.

Blood Orange Chiffon Cake & A New Kitchen

As soon as blood orange season arrived, I had recipe ideas swimming around in my head. I buy them about once a week, from the shops near where I work, only three or so at a time so they are easy to carry home after work. Then, come the weekend, I use some for baking things like this cake, then I juice the rest and freeze the it to use later on. My freezer is now quite full, along with the copious amounts of varying berries, homegrown mandarins and so much bread, the zip lock bags and small containers of blood orange juice are artfully placed in small gaps and spaces ready to be used once the weather gets warmer and ice blocks become necessary. 

The base recipe of this chiffon cake has been adapted from my favourite chiffon cake (of all time), the Custard Chiffon Cake which can be found in the Monday Morning Cooking Club’s first book. This chiffon cake was the first I ever tasted or made. Now it still remains my favourite, however adaptations such as this Blood Orange Chiffon are amazing and a great way to mix things up a bit and show off some lovely fresh produce. Not to mention I always love a cake with pink icing! Any excuse for pink icing!!

I have also added a few before and after photos of the kitchen to this post - just in case anyone was interested to see what I kept going on about for 4 months! As I mentioned in my last post, I am spending as much time as possible in the kitchen now, and am really enjoying being able to bake again. Making something like this Blood Orange Chiffon wasn’t at all possible for a while there, and I am so so happy it is all over and done with now! 

Click on the gallery below to check out the old kitchen vs the new kitchen!

Old Kitchen

New Kitchen

Old Kitchen

New Kitchen

Old Kitchen

New Kitchen

Old Pantry/Food Storage

New Pantry

Blood Orange Chiffon Cake

Ingredients: 

175 g self-raising flour

35 g plain flour

1 tsp cream of tartar

6 eggs (large), separated

345 g caster sugar

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

finely grated zest of one small/medium blood orange

170 ml blood orange juice, strained of pulp

80 ml vegetable oil 

3-4 springs of rosemary

Ingredients for Icing:

2 cups icing sugar, plus extra

juice of 1-2 blood oranges 

sprigs of rosemary (with flowers if possible), for decoration

Method:

Pre-heat oven to 180 degrees Celsius. Have an angel cake tin ready and nearby but do not grease it. The tin should not be a non-stick tin as the cake needs to cling to the sides of the tin as it cooks. 

Place rosemary into the oil, and leave to infuse. If you have time, leave it for as long as you can. Mix it about and squash into the oil to release some more flavour. 

In a small-medium bowl, sift the flours and cream of tartar three times. 

Using an electric mixer, beat the egg yolks with 1 cup of the sugar, until pale and creamy. If you have a free standing mixer with a paddle attachment, use this attachment for the egg yolks and save the whisk for later. Once pale and creamy, add the vanilla and blood orange zest. Remove the rosemary from the oil, and discard. Place the oil and blood orange juice in a jug and along with the sifted flour mixture, add to the yolk mixture while the mixer is beating on a low speed. Beat only until just combined. 

Using a separate bowl, whisk the egg whites using an electric mixer until soft peaks have formed. Add the remaining sugar, and whisk until the peaks are stiff (but not dry). 

Gently fold the egg yolk mixture into the egg whites with a metal spoon, a third at a time. Continue to gently fold until the mixtures are just combined. Do not over mix. 

Transfer the mixture to the cake tin and bake for 1 hour, or until a skewer inserted comes out clean. 

Immediately upon removing the cake from the oven you must invert the cake (stand it upside down). Using the hollow centre of the cake tin, place the cake upside down on the neck of a bottle and leave to cool. This process will stop the cake collapsing. This is also the reason for not greasing the tin, as you don’t want the cake to slide out at this stage.

Once the cake is completely cool, use a small serrated knife to cut the cake out of the tin. Start with the outer sides then lift the cake out using the bottom of the pan. Then carefully cut the cake off the base of the tin. 

Carefully place cake on serving plate or cake stand. In a medium bowl, sift in the icing sugar. Gradually add the juice of 1 blood orange. Stir until well mixed and add more icing sugar if the mixture is too wet, or more blood orange juice if it is too dry. The consistency shouldn’t be too thick, as it should be able to run down the sides of the cake, and not weight the top of the cake down. Gently drizzle/spread the icing over the cake and arrange the rosemary sprigs around the top of the cake. 

When serving, cut the cake with a serrated knife. 

Reference: ‘The Monday Morning Cooking Club’ by Merelyn Frank Chalmers, Natanya Eskin, Lauren Fink, Lisa Goldberg, Paula Horwitz and Jacqui Israel (2011), p 35.