Nuts in the Kitchen (3 page)

Almond Cake

Makes 6 to 8 servings

Moist, not too sweet, just slightly exotic with the almonds and the orange flower water, this makes a perfect breakfast treat, though it is actually a traditional North African dessert. Cut it into diamond shapes and serve it accompanied by dried and fresh fruits and a steaming bowl of lightly sweetened mint tea or coffee.

Note:
To remove the seeds from a vanilla bean, slit it down its length and, using a small spoon, scrape the moist black seeds from the interior of the bean. Save the bean for another use.

If you cannot find almond flour (though it is readily available at grocery stores and at bobsredmill.com), simply grind almonds in a food processor with a pinch of sugar, until they are a fine powder.

To make vanilla sugar, put 8 cups sugar in an airtight container with 2 vanilla beans and let it sit for 1 week. You may continue to use the same vanilla beans for up to 4 months.

1.
Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C). Butter a 9-inch square (22.5-cm square) cake pan.

2.
In a medium bowl, thoroughly mix together the almond flour, bread crumbs, salt, baking powder, and cinnamon.

3.
Place the eggs in a large bowl or the bowl of an electric mixer and whisk until they are thoroughly broken up. They don’t need to be foamy or thick. Add the vanilla seeds and sugar and whisk until thoroughly combined.

4.
Stir the dry ingredients into the egg mixture and mix just until all are combined. Fold in the orange flower water and melted butter, then pour the mixture into the prepared cake pan and bake until golden and firm, 25 to 30 minutes.

5.
Remove the cake from the oven and place it on a cooling rack. When the cake has cooled slightly, cut it into 1½-inch (4-cm) diamonds, let it cool entirely, then serve.

Nutty Pancakes

Makes 4 to 6 servings

There is nothing quite like an early autumn or winter morning in Louviers, when the dark of night enshrouds our chilly house. The coal stove in the kitchen emits a halo of warmth, a fire burns in the fireplace if the temperature is really low, and I often decide to make pancakes. I’ve developed many recipes over the years, and this is my current favorite because it combines everything I love—ground almonds for texture and nutrition, a touch of sugar for fun and flavor, a bit of spelt flour for texture and ease, vanilla to make it smooth. Try this recipe, which goes together in a thrice, and you’ll see what I mean!

Note:
I always first clean the bowl for whisking egg whites with white vinegar because any oil or crumb will prevent the egg whites from increasing in volume. If the early morning hour has you wanting simply to get from one end of the recipe to the other without the added complication of whisking, omit that step. Whisking gives extra lightness, but it’s not required.

Don’t overlook leftover pancakes—spread one with a light layer of butter, sprinkle it with cinnamon sugar, top it with another pancake, and you’ve got a great after-school treat.

1.
Place the milk and butter in a medium saucepan over low heat and heat the milk just until the butter is melted. Remove from the heat to cool to lukewarm.

2.
Sift the flours, 1 teaspoon salt, and the baking powder into a large mixing bowl. Add the almonds and mix them into the other dry ingredients using your fingers or a wooden spoon.

3.
Whisk the egg yolks, vanilla extract, and sugar into the cooled milk mixture until they are thoroughly combined. Slowly whisk the milk mixture into the dry ingredients, whisking just until all the ingredients are combined.

4.
Whisk the egg whites with a pinch of salt in a clean bowl until they make soft peaks, then fold them into the batter.

5.
Place a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. When the skillet is hot, pour the batter by ¼-cup amounts into the ungreased hot pan, leaving about ½ inch between pancakes. When the pancakes have bubbled on top, the bubbles have popped, and the undersides of the pancakes are golden, flip the pancakes and cook them until the other side is golden and cooked, which will take just a moment or two. It is hard to give a time for this, as it depends so much on the heat, the thickness of the pan, and the temperature of the batter, but allow for the whole process to take about 5 minutes. Continue with the remaining batter. Serve the pancakes hot from the griddle.

Orange and Almond Pashka

Makes about 18 servings

Every Easter for twenty-five years I’ve made pashka, tweaking it, modifying it, improving it. No matter the version, it is always the favorite dish on a table laden with delicacies. This is my favorite rendition, for its creamy texture is laced with orange and vanilla, slightly crunchy with almonds. I always serve freshly baked kugelhopf with pashka—a sublime combination. Any good, fresh, slightly sweet bread is perfect for spreading with pashka, though it is also delicious on its own.

I serve pashka as a breakfast/brunch dish and occasionally serve it as a dessert too.

Note:
You may substitute any high-quality dried fruits for the apricots. I recommend unsulfured fruits, which haven’t been treated to retain their color.

Molding the pashka in a flowerpot is traditional, but you can use any shape of mold you like.

I like to garnish pashka with spring flowers—pansies, tiny little daisies, even dandelion petals.

1.
Line a fine-mesh sieve with two layers of cheesecloth and place the sieve over a large bowl. Line a very clean 8-cup (2-liter) terra-cotta flowerpot or other mold that has drainage holes with two layers of cheesecloth, leaving the edges of the cheesecloth hanging over the sides of the mold.

2.
Place the yogurt in the lined sieve and set over a large bowl. Let the yogurt drain, refrigerated, overnight, or for at least 8 hours. Discard the liquid, reserving the yogurt.

3.
In a large bowl or the bowl of an electric mixer, whisk the butter until it is soft and pale yellow. Whisk in the
sugar until the mixture is light and pale yellow. Gradually whisk in the drained yogurt and continue whisking until it is thoroughly incorporated and the mixture is smooth and creamy. Whisk in the egg yolks and orange zest until combined thoroughly. Then, using a spatula or wooden spoon, fold in the almonds and the dried apricots so they are evenly dispersed throughout the mixture.

4.
Turn the pashka into the prepared mold, then fold the edges of the cheesecloth over the mixture. Set the mold in a shallow dish. Place a plate that is just slightly smaller than the circumference of the mold atop the mold and weight it with a 2-pound (1-kg) can of fruit or vegetables or any 2-pound (1-kg) weight. Refrigerate for at least 24 hours.

5.
To serve the pashka, remove it from the shallow dish, discarding any liquid that has drained from it. Remove the weight and plate and place an attractive serving dish or platter over the mold. Flip the mold so the pashka falls gently onto the serving dish. Remove the cheesecloth and garnish with the flowers, if desired. Serve chilled.

Fruit Crisp with Almond Topping

Makes 4 to 6 servings

Call this a crisp or a crumble, it ranks way high on the list of favorite desserts in France. Yes, an import from England, the crisp and the crumble (both called crumble or crumbeuhl) are on the menu at restaurants, offered in patisseries, and served in homes throughout the land.

This almondy crisp/crumble is a favorite for breakfast at my house. I often serve it with crème fraîche or Greek yogurt alongside. The addition of fresh rosemary adds an incomparable flavor.

Note:
If you make this the night before, warm it up for 10 minutes before you plan to serve it.

The crisp is best with mixed fruits, such as apples and pears, peaches and apricots, or nectarines and plums.

There is a relatively small amount of sugar in this recipe because good, ripe fruit has so much of its own. However, you may want to pass a bowl of sugar alongside, for those who desire more.

1.
Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Butter an 11 × 9-inch (28 × 23-cm) baking dish.

2.
In a large bowl, toss the fruit with the
¹
/
₃
cup (60 g) vanilla sugar. Coarsely chop the rosemary and mix it in, then turn the fruit mixture into the prepared baking dish.

3.
In a food processor, process the brown sugar with the flour until mixed. Add the butter and pulse until the mixture resembles coarse cornmeal. Turn the mixture into a bowl and add the oats, either by stirring with a wooden
spoon or by massaging the oats into the mixture with your hands. Spoon the mixture over the fruit, making an even layer. Sprinkle the almonds on top and sprinkle them with the tablespoon of vanilla sugar.

4.
Bake until the fruit is tender and the topping is crisp and golden, about 1 hour. Serve warm.

Quinoa, Hazelnut, and Cornmeal Pancakes

Makes 4 to 6 servings

These cakes offer a symphony of crunch, from the quinoa, the cornmeal, and the hazelnuts. They are substantial yet not heavy, lightly sweetened and very flavorful, perfect with a drizzle of honey or maple syrup.

Note:
If you omit the sugar, these make a lovely side dish to a main-course salad such as the Butternut Squash and Arugula Salad (Chapter Salads).

I always clean a bowl destined for egg whites with white vinegar before I use it.

1.
To toast the quinoa, heat a medium nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the quinoa and cook, stirring slowly and constantly, until it is no longer moist and begins to brown, about 3 minutes. Add 1 cup (250 ml) water and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low, cover, and cook until the water is absorbed, about 12 minutes. Uncover and cool.

2.
Combine the quinoa, cornmeal, and hazelnuts in a large bowl.

3.
In a small bowl, whisk the milk and egg yolks together until blended. Sift the flour and salt onto a piece of wax or parchment paper, then slowly whisk these dry ingredients into the milk mixture. Add the quinoa mixture, stirring until all the ingredients are thoroughly combined.

4.
In a separate, clean bowl, whisk the egg whites until they are foamy and beginning to thicken. Slowly add the sugar as you whisk, and continue to whisk until the egg whites form soft peaks. Fold the egg whites gently into the quinoa mixture.

5.
Heat a large nonstick griddle or skillet over medium heat until hot enough to sizzle a drop of water. Drop the batter by rounded tablespoons onto the pan. Using the back of the spoon, spread the batter into 2½-inch (6-cm) rounds. Cook until the tops are covered with small bubbles and the bottoms are lightly browned, about 2 minutes. Turn and lightly brown the other side for 2 minutes longer. Keep warm in an oven set at the lowest temperature while you cook the remaining cakes.