Intensely Yours, Pistachio
A verdant jade enrobed in a rose-tinted skin peeks out of ivory shells, a pistachio is almost like an oyster hiding a treasured pearl. A delicacy reserved for royalty and steeped in history, they are so coveted that heists are a common occurrence. It probably also explains the price tag – this is possibly the most expensive recipe testing I’ve had to do. The chestnut cake came in close.
Baking with pistachios means having its alluring hue paint every crumb of cake or drop of cream. The vivid green, however, often turns into a toffee-brown colour in paste form. Producers often add food colouring to retain its viridescent shade. Another way to preserve its colour in bakes is to remove the skin. A quick two-minute blanch in boiling water and a simple act of rubbing the skins off will reveal the bright-green flesh.
They pair well with saffron, cardamom, rose, orange blossom, and chocolate. Whether wrapped in paper-thin filo pastry soaked in sweet floral syrup or infused in a luscious scoop of ice cream, it’s my favourite nut to eat as it is. So much so, I wanted a dessert that was intensely pistachio. Almost like a love letter, it is perhaps my confession to the tiny green drupe.
That is why the only other inclusion was white chocolate. Though not a fan of eating it on its own, I do find white chocolate like a canvas that soaks in the essences of accompanying flavours. Its creaminess and richness melds with nuttiness of pistachios wonderfully. And what better way to dye the ivory chocolate into a luscious green.
Another key ingredient would be the praline paste – where roasted nuts are blended with shards of dry caramel to create a toasty, treacly confection. As someone who has never made caramel her entire life, I was surprised (and relieved) to find how easy it is to make it. I’d recommend making a large batch of the pistachio praline paste for better breakfasts and afternoon tea.
The reveal after you cut into the cake is always an exciting moment. It’s almost like unwrapping a gift and finding a hidden gem - the praline paste middle will elicit plenty of wow’s and ooo’s at the table. To cut into the richness of it all, the whipped cream adds a touch of lightness that brings the entire dessert into balance.
It might be a hassle to make every single element. But for me, it’s just another way for me to enjoy those delicious pistachios. B
100% Pistachio Cake with Whipped Pistachio Cream
The beauty of this cake is that you can scale its complexity up or down. It’s not necessary to create every single element of this dessert. If you wish to have a simple loaf, just bake the cake as it is. If you want to top it with a blanket of white chocolate and pistachio, go on and do it. And if you make it in its entirety, what a decadent treat you would have.
Makes 1 small loaf cake
Takes about 1 hour 30 minutes of active time
Notes
On pistachios: Harvested mainly in September, pistachios come from many different regions. From the prized Sicilian ones to the luxurious Iranian variety, you can buy them already opened or still in their kernels. Fully ripe nuts are split open at one end.
On pistachio paste: It’s not pistachio butter, which only contains nuts and salt. Pistachio paste actually has sugar in it. And you can definitely make your own paste – Stella Parks has a great recipe here. If not, store-bought whilst expensive is a delicious thing to have. Add a drop of green food colouring if you so desire.
On pistachio liqueur: Not the most famousest of nut liqueurs, this creamy concoction is almost like melted alcoholic pistachio gelato. Called liquore al pistacchio in Italian, it contains milk or cream, sugar, and alcohol. It’s not easy to obtain a bottle, so substitute with your favourite white rum.
On ground pistachio: You can buy them off the shelf. To make your own, spread the skinned pistachios on a lined baking sheet and roast them in a preheated oven of 155°C at 10 minutes. Allow them to cool before pulverising in a food processor at high speed. Be careful not to overground or you might end up with pistachio butter.
On white chocolate: Choose high-quality baking white chocolate to avoid the cloyingly-sweet sort that makes you want to puke it out. I used Valrhona Ivoire 35% for this recipe.
On the mould: This recipe calls for a cake mould with a detachable cylinder insert and an accompanying cover. They can be rather expensive but these moulds will be a great addition to your pantry. If you decide to use a normal loaf cake mould, just do without the pistachio praline centre.
On beating egg whites: My only tip is to start on slow and let the egg whites froth before adding the sugar. Never whip too quickly to not overbeat.
Ingredients
For the pistachio praline paste
150g pistachios, shelled
75g caster sugar
½ tsp kosher salt
For the pistachio cake
50g ground pistachios
45g powered sugar, sifted
42g caster sugar
85g unsalted butter, room temperature
¼ tsp kosher salt
35g pistachio paste
35g egg yolks, room temperature
12g whole egg, room temperature
12g whole milk, room temperature
20g pistachios, shelled, roasted, and chopped
48g egg whites, room temperature
20g caster sugar
42g cake flour (T45 / Type 405)
For the pistachio syrup
30g still water
30g caster sugar
1 tbsp pistachio cream liqueur
For the pistachio-white chocolate glaze
75g crème liquide (35% fat)
100g Valrhona 35% Ivoire white chocolate
50g pistachio paste
For the whipped pistachio cream
2g gelatine leaf, soaked in cold water for 20 minutes
43g crème liquide (35% fat)
43g Valrhona 35% Ivoire white chocolate
43g pistachio paste
131g crème liquide (35% fat)
Equipment
14cm x 7cm loaf cake mould with detachable tube insert and cover
Food processor
Immersion blender (optional)
Directions
Day One
Make the pistachio praline paste
Preheat the oven to 155°C. Lay the skinned pistachios in an even layer on a baking sheet and roast for about 10 minutes.
Allow them to cool on a wire rack.
To make the dry caramel, heat the caster sugar in a deep, wide saucepan over medium heat. The edges will start turning into a golden-brown liquid. You may tilt the saucepan to cook the sugar evenly, or gently stir the sugar to prevent burning. The moment all the sugar has melted into a deep gold liquid, remove from heat.
Pour the caramel onto a Silpat or baking paper and allow to cool. They will quickly turn into a beautiful piece of amber glass. Break them into smaller pieces.
Using a food processor, pulse the pistachios and broken dry caramel until you get a smooth paste. Be careful not to overheat your machine. You can also use an immersion blender after to even out the texture.
Day Two
Make the Pistachio Cake
Preheat the oven to 160°C. Grease and flour the cake mould, including the outsides of the tube and the inside of the mould cover.
In a large mixing bowl, sift the ground pistachio with powdered sugar and salt. Whisk until fully combined.
Using the stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter and pistachio paste with the ground pistachio and powdered sugar mix. Scrape the bowl in between mixing. You should get a fluffy batter.
Gradually add the egg yolks and whole egg into the batter, making sure each is fully incorporated before adding the next. Scrape the bowl in intervals.
Then, gently fold the whole milk and chopped pistachios into the batter with a rubber spatula.
To whip the egg whites, make sure the bowl and whisk attachment is clean. Whisk and add the caster sugar until you achieve the bird’s peak, but it shouldn’t be too firm.
Fold one-third of the whipped egg whites into the batter, then followed by sifting half the cake flour into the bowl. You should end with the egg whites. Once the batter is fully incorporated, stop mixing.
Transfer the batter into the prepared mould and slide its accompanying over.
Bake for 50 to 55 minutes, or until the cake tested comes out clean. Gently pull the cover and metal tube from the mould and turn the cake onto a wire rack.
Make the Pistachio Syrup
In a small saucepan, heat the water and sugar on medium heat until it boils. Remove from heat and stir in the pistachio liqueur.
Using a pastry brush, glide the syrup on all sides of the freshly baked cake until no liquid is left. Allow the cake to cool completely for about 4 hours.
Make the Whipped Pistachio Cream
Melt the white chocolate over a bain-marie and leave aside.
In a small saucepan, heat the cream over medium heat until a slight boil. Pour the hot cream into the white chocolate in two portions, stirring quickly with each addition.
Add the softened gelatine leaf and continue stirring swiftly.
Then, add the cold cream and stir until fully incorporated. You may use an immersion blender to get a more consistent texture. Use a clingfilm and cover the surface of the cream before transferring into the refrigerator to cool for at least 2 hours.
Make the Pistachio-White Chocolate Glaze
Not unlike the whipped cream, melt the white chocolate over a bain-marie and leave aside.
In a small saucepan, heat the cream over medium heat until boiling slightly. Pour the hot cream into the white chocolate in two portions, stirring quickly each time.
Add the pistachio paste and continue stirring until you get a smooth, cohesive liquid.
To assemble
Scoop the pistachio praline paste into a piping bag. Pipe it into the cake tunnel until it reaches the opening on both ends. Quickly wrap the cake in clingfilm and refrigerate for about 30 minutes.
Remove the clingfilm and set the cake over a wire rack. Pour the glaze over it, making sure that all sides are covered completely. Return it back to the refrigerator and let it sit for another 30 minutes.
Transfer some pistachio cream into a piping bag fitted with a small round piping nozzle. Take the cake out of the refrigerator and carefully pipe neat, straight lines of cream lengthwise. Decorate with some roasted pistachios.
