The way to make an totally scrumptious frosted pistachio cake. Embellish the highest with contemporary berries and nuts, and even fairly edible flowers and this straightforward to make sponge cake turns into an absolute show-stopper of a cake with a brilliant recipe from writer and meals and life-style author Héloïse Brion of Miss Maggie’s Kitchen.
Serves 10
ACTIVE TIME: 25–half-hour
COOKING TIME: 40–45 minutes
COOLING TIME: 25–half-hour
CHILLING TIME: quarter-hour
INGREDIENTS
For the cake
Butter and flour, for greasing
2 cups (9 oz./250 g) shelled pistachios
2¼ cups (10 oz./280 g) all-purpose flour
1 scant tbsp (11 g) baking powder
2 pinches baking soda
1 beneficiant pinch fleur de sel (or salt)
1½ sticks (6 oz./180 g) unsalted butter, diced, at room temperature
¾ cup (5 oz./150 g) superfine sugar
⅔ cup (5¼ oz./150 g) brown sugar
4 egg whites
½ cup (4¼ oz./120 g) crème fraîche
1 tsp bitter almond extract
Scant 1 cup (240 ml) low-fat milk
For the frosting and ornament
1 cup (9 oz./250 g) cream cheese, at room temperature
7 tbsp (4 oz./110 g) unsalted butter, diced, at room temperature
3 cups (14 oz./400 g) confectioners’ sugar (icing sugar)
Shelled pistachios, roughly chopped
Assorted berries and contemporary herbs
METHOD
Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C/Gasoline Mark 4). Grease a 9½-in. (24-cm) springform pan with butter and dirt with flour.
Pulse the pistachios into wonderful crumbs utilizing a meals processor. Place in a mixing bowl and stir within the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and fleur de sel till mixed.
In a separate giant bowl, beat collectively the butter, superfine sugar, and brown sugar. Utilizing an electrical beater, whisk within the egg whites one by one, then whisk at excessive velocity for two–3 minutes till gentle and creamy. Stir within the crème fraîche and almond extract. Step by step fold within the dry components. Stir within the milk.
Switch the batter to the pan. Bake for 40–45 minutes, or till the tip of a knife inserted into the middle comes out clear. Let cool for about 10 minutes earlier than eradicating from the pan. Switch to a serving plate and let cool for 15–20 minutes.
In the meantime, put together the frosting. Stir collectively the cream cheese and butter till clean, then steadily stir within the confectioners’ sugar. Chill for about quarter-hour.
Unfold a thick layer of frosting excessive of the cake and enhance as you want with pistachios, berries, and herbs.
Kitchen Notes: The undecorated frosted cake may be saved for two–3 days within the fridge; take it out about half-hour earlier than serving and enhance.
Extracted from My Artwork of Entertaining: Recipes and Suggestions from Miss Maggie’s Kitchen by Héloïse Brion (Flammarion, 2022).
Images © Christophe Roué 2022.
