Pistachio Cake

It’s start of December and I am already in mood of Holiday Season! Well, when you have year-end work lunches and holiday parties to attend who won’t be in holiday mood. I was not born or brought up in USA but I have been here long enough to have my own holiday tradition. And you would have guessed it right, it is all about baking and cooking. Fudges, cookies and hot chocolate mix …. yum yum! Here is something I recently tried and it can be a good option if you want to go bit non traditional way.

The cake by itself is good but the glaze gives it holiday effect. I prefer orange glaze over lemon but feel free to use either.

Ingredients:

Cake:

1. 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons roasted, shelled, and unsalted pistachios
2. 1 cup granulated sugar
3. 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
4. 10 tablespoons unsalted butter, cold
5. 3 large eggs
6. 1/4 cup milk
7. 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
8. 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
9. 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
10. 3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

Orange Pistachio glaze:

1. 1/3 cup roasted, shelled, and unsalted pistachios
2. 1/4 cup granulated sugar
3. Finely grated zest and juice of 1 orange

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 325 F. Line the bottom and long sides of a loaf pan with a sling of parchment paper.
2. In the work bowl of your food processor, grind pistachios, sugar and salt together until as powdery as you can get them without it turning to paste. Cut butter into small chunks and blend with pistachio mixture. It’s going to be lumpy at first, and then balled for a minute, but keep running the machine until the mixture loosens up into a frosting-like consistency, i.e. smooth and shiny. Add eggs, one at time, blending briefly between each, scraping down sides as needed. Add milk, blend to combine. Add extracts and baking powder and blend to fully combine, scraping down work bowl. Add flour and pulse just until it disappears.
3. Pour batter into prepared pan and spread top smooth. Bake for 60 to 70 minutes. Look for a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake to come out clean and then, do a second check near the top.
4. Let cake cool in pan on rack for 10 to 15 minutes, then run a knife around cake and transfer to cooling rack. Let cool completely.
5. To make glaze, bring pistachios, sugar, zest, and juice to a simmer in a small saucepan; simmer for 2 to 3 minutes then pour over cooled cake. Enjoy!