Nuts in the Kitchen (22 page)

Jacqueline’s Walnut Cake

Makes 10 servings

Jacqueline is the aunt of a very good friend of mine, Eloise Perret, and this cake is a bastion of Jacqueline’s baking prowess. What I love the best of the many cakes I’ve sampled from Jacqueline’s kitchen is their simplicity and very French minimalist quality, which takes advantage of the most perfect-quality ingredients.

This cake, which has bread crumbs in it instead of flour, is one of her best. The framework is walnuts—from Normandy, where Jacqueline lives in the town of Lisieux—and each mouthful is like a sweet, light hymn to their delicate, nutty flavor.

Note:
The walnuts aren’t toasted before being baked in the cake because sometimes it is wonderful to taste their pure, buttery flavor. However, if toastiness is what you prefer, lightly toast the walnuts before you add them to the cake. Whisk the egg whites just until they form soft peaks, not a bit further or the cake will be dry.

1.
Line a 9½-inch (24-cm) springform pan with parchment paper, then butter the parchment paper and the sides of the pan. Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C).

2.
Process the walnuts and 2 tablespoons of the sugar in a food processor until the walnuts are very finely ground. Be careful not to overprocess as the nuts can become oily.

3.
In a large bowl or the bowl of an electric mixer, whisk together the egg yolks, vanilla extract, and all but 2 tablespoons of the remaining sugar until they are thick and pale yellow. Fold in the ground walnuts and bread crumbs.

4.
In a large bowl or the bowl of an electric mixer, whisk the egg whites with the salt until they are very foamy and just beginning to form soft peaks. Whisk in the reserved 2 tablespoons of sugar and continue whisking until the mixture is glossy and forms soft peaks.

5.
Fold the egg whites into the walnut and egg yolk mixture until thoroughly combined. Turn the mixture into the prepared pan and bake until the cake is golden and puffed and your finger leaves a slight indentation on the top when you press it gently, about 35 minutes.

6.
Remove the cake from the oven and let it cool on a wire rack for 30 minutes. Remove the cake from the pan and let it cool completely. Transfer it to a serving platter and serve.

Golden Pound Cake Crowned with Nuts

Makes 10 servings

There is a saying in France when something tastes so good you cannot believe it, that it is like “Jesus in velvet pants.” This cake is that. I was inspired to make this after buying a cake similar to this in a lovely little bakery in the Montmartre neighborhood of Paris. It was as if the cake reached out and grabbed me, it was so lovely. I tasted it, then made it just a few days later because it had to go in this book.

It is really a simple pound cake all dressed up. The nuts, glistening from their wash of apricot glaze, make it regal, fit for a grand occasion or a very special cup of tea!

Note:
The leavening in this pound cake is simply egg whites beaten with a bit of sugar. Don’t be tempted to add baking powder, which tends to dry out a cake of this sort. The egg whites are all it needs.

1.
Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Butter and flour a 9-inch (23-cm) springform pan, then line the bottom with parchment paper and butter the parchment paper.

2.
Sift the flour with a generous pinch of salt onto a piece of parchment paper.

3.
In the bowl of a mixer or in another large bowl, mix together the butter and all but 2 tablespoons of the vanilla sugar until they are pale yellow and light. Add the egg yolks, one at a time, mixing just until they are combined. Add the vanilla extract, then slowly mix in the flour just until it is combined.

4.
In a separate bowl, whisk the egg whites with a pinch of salt. When they are light and foamy and beginning to
turn white, slowly add the remaining 2 tablespoons of sugar and whisk just until they form soft peaks.

5.
Fold one-fourth of the egg whites into the batter, then gently fold in the remaining egg whites just until the mixture is homogenous. Do not overfold, or the egg whites will lose their volume.

6.
Turn the batter into the prepared pan. Evenly sprinkle the top of the cake with the nuts and bake the cake in the center of the oven until it springs back when touched but isn’t dry, about 35 minutes.

7.
Strain the apricot jam into a small, heavy saucepan over low heat. Stir in 1 teaspoon water and cook just until the glaze is liquid. Remove from the heat.

8.
Remove the cake from the oven and place it on a wire rack. Immediately brush the glaze generously over the nuts, then let the cake cool for at least 20 minutes before removing the edges of the pan. When the cake is cooled completely, remove it from the bottom of the cake pan.

Lena’s Poppy Seed Cake

Makes one 9-inch (23-cm) round cake; 8 to 10 servings

Score another home run for the Swedes in this gorgeous cake, which is the Swedish version of a brownie. Like a brownie, it stays chewy in the center. The traditional way to serve it is buried in whipped cream. In my home we just eat it plain. With its seed-popping texture, it quickly becomes addictive.

Note:
Poppy seeds are used to “flour” the pan to prevent the cake from sticking. They create a crisp outer layer on the cake, and their nutty “pop” is lusciously, intriguingly delicious. I think you’ll find yourself “flouring” many a cake pan this way!

1.
Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Generously butter a 9-inch (23-cm) pan. Sprinkle ¼ cup of the poppy seeds over the bottom and sides of the pan. Leave any excess poppy seeds on the bottom of the pan.

2.
Sift together the dry ingredients onto a piece of wax or parchment paper.

3.
Whisk together the eggs and vanilla sugar in a large bowl until they are pale yellow and lightly foamy, then whisk in the candied orange peel, lemon zest, remaining ¼ cup of poppy seeds, the lemon juice, and the melted butter. Fold in the dry ingredients and turn the batter into the prepared pan.

4.
Bake in the center of the oven until the cake is puffed and golden and the surface is shiny and somewhat crackly, about 45 minutes. Remove from the oven and place on a cooling rack. After 20 minutes, turn out the cake onto the rack and cool to room temperature before serving.

Fiona’s Yogurt Cake

Makes about 8 servings

Fiona, when she was nine years old, came home from a day of activities at the local community center, her eyes shining. “Mom, we made a cake today, and I copied down the recipe for you,” she said. I looked at it, and déjà vu whooshed through me: it was the yogurt cake recipe I’d discovered in one of my son Joe’s classes when he was about her age. Fiona’s was different, but equally simple to make, and delicious!

Fiona has been instrumental in the creation of this book, as she has dutifully sampled, cheerfully offered suggestions (“What about a recipe for homemade Nutella, Mom?
That
would have nuts in it”), and keenly hoped that I would use one of her recipes as part of this collection. In fact, I’ve included two, and this is one of them!

Note:
This simple cake improves with age. If you make it the night before you plan to serve it, you’ll see that the flavors become richer, more mellow.

Unsweetened coconut can be found at health food and specialty stores.

1.
Place the almonds in a food processor and process until they are finely ground. Be careful not to overprocess so they don’t turn oily.

2.
Heavily butter a 9½-inch (24-cm) round cake pan. Place the ground almonds in the pan and shake the pan so that the almonds evenly cover the bottom. Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C).

3.
Sift together the dry ingredients onto a piece of wax or parchment paper. Add the coconut and mix together using your fingers.

4.
In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs and sugar until they are light and pale yellow. Sprinkle the dry ingredients over the eggs and sugar, whisking to incorporate them as you do. Fold in the yogurt and vanilla, then the melted butter.

5.
Pour the batter into the prepared cake pan. Bake the cake in the center of the oven until the cake is slightly mounded and your finger leaves a very slight impression when you touch the top of it, 35 to 40 minutes.

6.
Remove the cake from the oven and let it cool in the pan. To serve, place a serving plate on top of the cake pan and flip the pan so that the cake emerges from it with the almonds on top. Serve immediately.

Crumbly Almond Cake—Sbrisolona

Makes about 10 servings

This cake, which is really a giant cookie, will send you to heaven on a sweet, nutty little ride. The recipe comes from Patricia Wells, my dear friend and cohort, who loves the same kinds of things I do, including Paris, food, and nutty, not-too-sweet creations like this one.

Patricia got this recipe from a woman named Rosetta Gasparini, part of the kitchen team at the Villa Minora, owned by the Allegrini wine family. Patricia was near Verona when she met them, thanks to the offices of a mutual friend of ours, Italian gastronome Rolando Beremendi. Rolando is responsible for putting, among other people, the Rustichella pasta company on the culinary map, and he was indispensable to me when I worked on
Italian Farmhouse Cookbook.
His magic doesn’t cease, as he is continually putting good food, good people, and good experiences together.

Patricia returned from a trip to Italy so excited about this recipe that it was in my mailbox within hours of her return, after she’d had time to unpack her bags and test it. When you make it, you will understand why!

Note:
This isn’t a cake, and it isn’t a cookie; it is both. Follow the directions exactly, then serve this lovely large creation whole and have guests break off pieces the size that suits them. This can be either a mid-morning accompaniment to coffee, or an after-meal dessert with a glass of sweet Vin Santo.

As for the number of people it will serve, well, there are three people who live in my house, and with a couple of hungry passersby we ate it all up.

Note that you may use either fine cornmeal or instant polenta in this recipe.

1.
Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C).

2.
Set aside 10 almonds for garnish and place the rest in a food processor. Coarsely chop them—they will be uneven in size, which is fine.

3.
In a medium bowl, combine the chopped almonds, flour, polenta, and salt. Toss to blend. Set aside.

4.
In a large bowl, combine the melted butter, vanilla sugar, and egg and whisk to blend. Add the dry ingredients and stir to combine until the mixture is homogenous. The texture should be like that of cookie dough.

5.
Rub the dough between your hands and let it drop onto the baking sheet so that it covers the sheet without any spaces showing—this creates a gorgeous, uneven surface. Scatter the reserved whole almonds on top of the dough.

6.
Place in the center of the oven and bake until deep golden and crisp, 20 to 30 minutes. Let cool before serving. Don’t be tempted to cut this with a knife—break off pieces of it with your fingers.