200 g Pistachio kernels
250 ml Sunflower or almond oil
250 g Caster sugar
10 Cardamom pods; seeds only;
-ground
1 ts Vanilla extract
4 lg Eggs
100 g Plain flour
1 ts Baking powder
1 pn Salt
MMMMM--------------------------GANACHE-------------------------------
200 g White chocolate; very finely
-chopped
50 ml Double cream
5 Cardamom pods; seeds only,
-ground
Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F/gas mark 4. Grease two 20 cm cake
tins preferably loose-bottomed or springform ones.
Using a coffee grinder or food processor, blitz the pistachios until
finely ground. Reserve 2 ts of the nuts for decorating. Beat the oil
with the caster sugar, the cardamom, vanilla extract, and eggs to
create a batter. In a separate bowl, combine the pistachio, flour,
baking powder, and salt, then lightly fold it into the batter.
Divide the batter between the two tins, level the tops and bake for 25
minutes, or until the cakes are just beginning to shrink from the
sides of the tins and a knife inserted into their centres comes out
clean. Leave to cool in the tins before removing.
Prepare the ganache topping. Combine the white chocolate with the
double cream in a small heatproof bowl and warm gently either in the
microwave (in 10-second bursts) or over a pan of barely simmering
water. As soon as the chocolate has mostly melted, remove from the
heat and stir gently to combine.
Add the ground cardamom, then spread thickly over the top of each cake
layer. Leave to cool and firm up a bit, then stack the layers and
sprinkle the top with the reserved pistachio.
These are much like bakewell tarts crisp shortcrust pastry, jam,
frangipane, and a slick of icing but with a raspberry and pistachio
flavour base instead of the usual cherry and almond. Rosewater adds a
light floral edge, but it's important not to overdo it. Add just a
couple of drops at a time and taste as you go, swapping out the rose
entirely in favour of vanilla extract or orange blossom water if you
prefer.
