Pistachio And Almond Cake With Orange Salad Recipe

Dec 24, 2012 1:01 pm

A nutty, citrusy dessert from the hills of Italy

By Nate Appleman

This homespun loaf cake evokes the nut tree-covered hills of Avellino and the lemon-scented Amalfi coast. The cake batter is primarily ground raw nuts, generously flavored with lemon zest. The latter gives the finished cake a pronounced citrus flavor that pairs well with the orange salad.

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Photo: Ed Anderson

The cake recipe employs lemon zest, which pairs well with the orange salad.

Reprinted with permission from A16: Food + Wine

Servings: 7

Ingredients

Pistachio and almond cake

1 1/3 cups unsalted shelled pistachio nuts

1 1/3 cups blanched whole almonds

1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature

3/4 cup plus 3 tablespoons sugar

3 lemons

1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

3 eggs

1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour

1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

Orange salad

3 Blood oranges

2, navel or blood oranges

1/4 cup orange marmalade

1 teaspoon freshly squeezed lemon juice

Topping

1/2 cup plain whole milk yogurt

unsalted shelled pistachio nuts

Directions:

For the cake

Preheat the oven to 300˚F. Butter a 4-by-8-inch loaf pan. Then, using a sifter or a fine-mesh strainer, dust it with flour, tapping out the excess.
In a food processor, combine the pistachios and almonds and pulse until finely ground. Set aside.
Combine the butter and sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer. Grate the zest from the lemons directly into the bowl. Fit the mixer with the paddle attachment and beat on medium speed for about 2 minutes, or until smooth and creamy. Mix in the vanilla just until incorporated. On low speed, gradually add the nuts and mix just until incorporated. Then add the eggs, one at a time, mixing after each addition just until incorporated. Stir in the flour and salt and mix just until incorporated.
Spoon the batter into the prepared loaf pan. Bake until a skewer inserted into the middle of the cake comes out clean, about 45 minutes. Let cool in the pan on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Then, run a paring knife around the inside of the pan to loosen the cake sides, invert the cake onto a plate, and lift off the pan. At this point, the cake can be served warm or allowed to cool completely before being sliced and reheated.

For the orange salad

Cut a slice off the top and bottom of 1 orange, stand the orange upright, and cut downward to remove the rind and pith in thick strips. Cut the orange crosswise into 1/4-inch-thick slices, capturing any juice. Repeat with all of the remaining oranges. Set the oranges slices aside until needed.
Gently heat the marmalade in a pot over low heat for about 3 minutes, or until syrupy. Add any captured orange juice along with the lemon juice to the marmalade. Remove the pot from the heat and add 1 to 2 tablespoons water to thin the marmalade to the consistency of a vinaigrette. Let cool.

For serving

Preheat the oven to 400˚F. Cut the cake into generous slices and place on a baking sheet. Bake the slices, turning them over once, for about 5 minutes, or until warm and slightly toasted on both sides.
Place 4 or 5 orange slices on each plate and drizzle generously with the marmalade syrup. Place the warm pieces of cake next to the orange slices and top with a dollop of yogurt and a few pistachios. Serve immediately.

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Level of Difficulty:

Moderate

Prep Time:

1 hour

Cooking Time:

50 minutes

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