Pistachio Brown Butter Cake With Concord Grapes Recipes

CONCORD GRAPE LAYER CAKE

Steps:

• Make the filling: Combine the grapes, apple and water in a medium Dutch oven over medium-low heat. Cover and cook until most of the grapes pop and shrivel, about 12 minutes. Increase the heat to medium and stir in the granulated sugar. Cook, stirring often and mashing with a potato masher occasionally to crush the apple, until the filling is thick and syrupy, 15 to 20 minutes. Remove from the heat and let cool completely.
• Make the cake: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter and flour three 8-inch round cake pans; line the bottoms with parchment paper. Sift the flour, baking soda and salt into a medium bowl. Beat the granulated sugar and vegetable oil in a large bowl with a mixer on medium-high speed until it looks like wet sand, about 2 minutes. Scrape down the bowl and add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add the vanilla; beat on high speed until light, about 2 minutes. Reduce the mixer speed to low; beat in the flour mixture in three batches, alternating with the buttermilk, beginning and ending with the flour. Continue beating until smooth, about 1 minute.
• Divide the batter among the prepared pans and bake until a toothpick inserted into the centers comes out clean, 25 to 30 minutes. Let cool 10 minutes in the pans, then invert onto racks; remove the parchment and let cool completely.
• Meanwhile, make the topping: Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Whisk the egg whites in a medium bowl until just foamy. Spread the granulated sugar in a pie plate or shallow bowl. Dip the grapes in the egg whites, letting any excess drip back into the bowl, then roll in the sugar. Transfer the sugared grapes to the prepared baking sheet. Freeze at least 30 minutes.
• Make the frosting: Beat the butter and salt in a large bowl with a mixer on medium speed until smooth and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Gradually beat in the confectioners' sugar, then the vanilla. Increase the mixer speed to medium high and beat until very light and fluffy, about 2 more minutes.
• Assemble the cake: Put 1 cake layer on a cake stand or serving plate. Spread about one-third of the grape filling on the cake, then top with another cake layer and half of the remaining filling. Top with the third cake layer. Cover the top and side of the cake with the frosting. Refrigerate to set the frosting, 15 to 20 minutes. Spread the remaining filling on top of the cake, leaving a 1/2-inch border. Arrange the frozen grapes around the border.

PISTACHIO BROWN-BUTTER CAKE WITH CONCORD GRAPES

Steps:

• Melt butter in a small heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium heat. Continue cooking until light brown and smells nutty, about 6 minutes. Remove from heat and strain through a fine-mesh sieve into a bowl.
• In a large bowl, sift together confectioners' sugar, pistachio flour (or pistachios and flour processed in a food processor until fine), cake flour, and salt. Whisk in egg whites to combine. Whisk in strained butter in a slow, steady stream. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate until thickened, about 1 hour and up to 1 week.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Generously butter an 10-inch tart pan with a removable bottom.
• Pour chilled batter into prepared tart pan. Sprinkle grapes over the top, keeping fruit 1/2 inch in from the edge of the pan. Sprinkle grapes and batter with Demerara sugar.
• Place tart pan on a baking sheet and bake until edges of the cake are golden and top is slightly springy to the touch, 1 hour and 15 minutes to 1 hour and 30 minutes. Transfer cake to a wire rack, remove the outer ring of the pan, and let cool; serve warm or at room temperature. This cake is best eaten the day it is made, but can be kept at room temperature, loosely covered with plastic wrap, for up to 2 days.

FLUFFY PISTACHIO CAKE WITH CREAM CHEESE FROSTING AND DONUT BAGELS

Steps:

• Position an oven rack in the middle position. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease two 8-inch round cake pans and line the bottoms with parchment paper.
• Place the pistachios in a food processor fitted with the blade attachment and grind them until you have small crumbs. Measure out 1/4 cup of the crumbs and set them aside for the filling.
• Pour the remaining crumbs into a large mixing bowl. Add the flour, granulated sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Whisk to combine. In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the eggs, buttermilk, oil, extracts and 3/4 cup water. Whisk the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients, then pour into the cake pans and bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, begin checking for doneness at 28 minutes. Let the cakes cool in the pans for 10 minutes, then turn them onto a greased cooling rack and cool completely.
• Level the cake rounds and spread the top of one cake with a layer of Frosting. Sprinkle on the reserved ground pistachios. Place the other cake round on top, cut-side down, then frost all over with the remaining Frosting.
• Place the Donut Bagels on the top of the cake. Decorate the top and sides of the cake with the sprinkles.
• In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, or in a large mixing bowl using a hand mixer, beat together the butter, cream cheese, powdered sugar and salt until smooth. Add the food coloring and whisk until fully combined.
• Color and shape the marzipan on a powdered sugar dusted surface. Cut into circles for tomatoes. Smash into oblong shapes for salmon. Roll into little balls for capers. And to make the onions, just brush a bit of food coloring on the edges of slivered marzipan.
• Put the seeded topping mixture in a small bowl. Using a pastry brush, brush the tops of the donuts with simple syrup, then dip into the seeded topping, pressing down slightly so everything adheres. Cut the donuts in half and spread a thin layer of cream cheese on the cut sides of the top and bottom pieces. To the bottom halves, add the marzipan salmon, tomato, onions and capers. Top with the seeded donut halves.

PISTACHIO BROWN BUTTER CAKE WITH CONCORD GRAPES

Steps:

• Melt butter in a small heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium heat. Continue cooking until light brown and nutty-smelling, about 6 minutes. Remove from heat and strain through a fine mesh sieve into a bowl.
• Sift together confectioners' sugar, pistachio flour (or pistachios and flour, processed in a food processor until fine), cake flour, and salt in a large bowl. Whisk in egg whites to combine. Whisk in strained butter in a slow, steady stream. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate until thickened, about 1 hour and up to 1 week.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Generously butter a 9-inch fluted tart pan with a removable bottom.
• Pour chilled batter into prepared tart pan. Sprinkle grapes over the top, keeping fruit 1/2 inch in from edge of pan. Sprinkle grapes and batter with demerara sugar.
• Place tart pan on a baking sheet and bake until edges of cake are dark golden brown and top is slightly springy to the touch, 1 hour 15 minutes to 1 hour 30 minutes. Transfer cake to a wire rack, remove outer ring of pan, and let cool; serve warm or at room temperature. This cake is best eaten the day it is made, but can be kept at room temperature, loosely covered with plastic wrap, up to 2 days.

BUTTERY PISTACHIO CAKE

Steps:

• Set oven to 350 degrees (second-lowest oven rack).
• Butter a 13 x 9-inch baking dish, line bottom with parchment paper, then dust with flour, shaking out any excess flour out of pan.
• Pulse the pistachio nuts in a food processor until finely ground (careful not to over-grind them into a paste).
• Add in 1 cup flour, baking powder, cardamom and salt; pulse one or two times to combine.
• In a cup whisk together the milk and vanilla.
• In a bowl beat the butter and sugar with an electric mixer until fluffy (about 4-5 minutes, this is important, must beat/mix for 4-5 minutes!).
• Add in eggs one at a time beating well after each addition.
• Alternately add in the pistachio/flour mixture and milk on low speed of mixer JUST until combined.
• Transfer the batter into prepared baking dish.
• Bake for about 20-22 minutes, or until cake tests done.
• Cool for about 10 minutes, then run a knife around edges of cake to loosen, invert onto a rack, or slice the cake from the pan.
• Serve warm or room temperature.