Pistachio Petit Four Cake Recipes

PETIT FOURS

Steps:

• For the cake: Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Liberally spray an 18-by13-inch sheet pan with nonstick cooking spray and line it with parchment paper. Stack the lined sheet pan inside a second sheet pan, to avoid extra browning when baking.
• In a mixing bowl, add the flour, baking powder and salt and whisk to combine. Set aside.
• In a food processor, pulse together the almond paste, granulated sugar and honey. Pulse until well combined. Open the food processor and scrape the sides and bottom with a metal spoon to check that the almond paste is completely incorporated. Add the butter, 1 tablespoon at a time, pulsing to combine after each addition.
• Add the eggs one by one, pulsing until each is completely incorporated. After the last addition, scrape down the bowl and then pulse until the batter is completely smooth and slightly fluffy. Pulse in the flour mixture until blended.
• Spread the batter evenly in the prepared sheet pan. Bake until the cake is golden brown and springs back when gently poked, 15 to 20 minutes. Let cool completely.
• While the cakes are cooling, color the Royal Icing in the colors of your choosing and add each color to a pastry bag fitted with a #2 tip. Pipe tiny flowers on a piece of parchment by making small closed spirals in one color, then add leaves to either side in the other color. Set aside to set up and harden, about 1 hour.
• Remove the cake from the sheet pan and cut in half widthwise. Spread the jam on top of one half and top with the second half. Freeze for 10 minutes to set.
• Use a serrated knife to cut the cake into 1-inch squares. Place onto a parchment-covered sheet pan and freeze for at least 1 hour.
• For the coating icing: In the meantime, add the white chocolate chips to a heatproof bowl and set over a pot of simmering water (the bowl should sit above and not touch the water). Heat, stirring, until melted and smooth.
• Sift the confectioners' sugar into a separate large bowl. Stir in the hot water and corn syrup until smooth. Stir in the melted chocolate. If the icing is too thick (it should be pourable), add more hot water 1 teaspoon at a time. Use while warm; you can reheat it in the microwave if necessary as you are working.
• Put the little cakes on a wire rack fitted inside a sheet pan lined with parchment paper. Coat the cakes with the icing using a spoon and small offset spatula, or add icing to a pastry bag, snip the corner and use to coat each cake. Top each with a hardened royal icing decoration. Allow the icing to set up before transferring to a serving platter.
• In the bowl of an electric mixer fit with a paddle attachment, add the confectioners' sugar and meringue powder and beat to combine. Beat in 4 tablespoons of warm water to combine. Raise the paddle head to check the consistency of the icing; the icing should be thick and smooth but not dripping from the paddle. Add more water until the desired consistency is reached. (You can add slightly more water to achieve a flooding consistency icing to completely cover cookies. Use a stiffer consistency to pipe decorations and details.)

PETITS FOURS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour a 10x15 inch jellyroll pan.
• In a large bowl, beat the eggs and egg yolks using an electric mixer. Add sugar, and beat until thick and pale, about 10 minutes. If you have a stand mixer, use the whisk attachment. Sift the flour and baking powder into the egg mixture, and fold in by hand along with the milk. Stir just until the batter is mixed, then fold in the melted butter until smooth. Spread the batter evenly in the prepared pan.
• Bake for 12 to 15 minutes in the preheated oven, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. When finished, invert the cake pan onto a sheet of waxed paper, and cool completely. This will give you nice even petits fours.
• Cut the cooled cake into small squares, rectangles or triangles, and arrange the pieces in rows on a wire rack or glazing screen with plenty of space between rows. (See Cook's Notes for flavoring suggestions). Set the rack over a shallow pan or waxed paper to catch the drips.
• Spoon or pour warmed petit four icing over the small cakes. The drippings may be scraped off of the pan or paper, and reheated for use again. Allow the petits fours to set until completely dry. Lift the cakes from the rack with a metal spatula, and trim the bottom edges with a sharp knife. Set into small muffin papers for easy handling. Decorate as desired.

PISTACHIO PETIT-FOUR CAKE

Steps:

• MAKE THE CAKE:.
• Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C).
• Butter three 8-inch round cake pans; line the bottom of each pan with a round of parchment or waxed paper and butter the paper.
• Spread out the pistachios in a baking pan and toast in the oven for 7 to 10 minutes, or until lightly colored.
• Transfer to a dish and let cool completely; finely chop the pistachios and set 1/4 cup aside for decoration.
• Put the remaining 1/2 cup pistachios in a food processor.
• Add the sugar and pulse just enough to grind them finely.
• Pour into a large mixing bowl and add the flour, baking powder, and salt.
• Blend with the mixer on low for 30 seconds; add the butter, milk, and vanilla and, with the mixer on low, beat until completely incorporated.
• Raise the speed to medium and beat until light and fluffy, 2 to 3 minutes.
• Add the beaten eggs in 2 or 3 additions, scraping down the sides of the bowl well and mixing only long enough to blend after each addition.
• Divide the batter among the 3 prepared pans.
• Bake for about 25 minutes, or until a cake tester or wooden toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
• Allow the layers to cool in the pans for 10 minutes.
• Turn out onto wire racks, carefully peel off the paper liners, and let cool completely.
• MAKE THE MARZIPAN:.
• Crumble the almond paste into a large mixing bowl.
• Use an electric mixer on low speed to soften the almond paste.
• Add the confectioners' sugar and corn syrup and beat until smooth.
• Wrap well in plastic so it doesn't dry out, and allow to rest at room temperature for 1 to 2 hours before rolling out.
• MAKE THE DARK CHOCOLATE GANACHE:.
• Chop the chocolate coarsely and put it in a heatproof bowl.
• Bring the cream to a bare simmer & pour the hot cream over the chocolate and let stand for 5 minutes.
• Whisk until smooth and use the glaze soon after making so that it doesn't set.
• ASSEMBLE THE CAKE:.
• Roll out a third of the marzipan on a work surface dusted with a little confectioners' sugar to about 1/8-inch thickness.
• Set one of the cake pans upside down on the marzipan and trim around it with a small knife to make an 8-inch round.
• Repeat two more times with the remaining marzipan.
• Save all your scraps to make roses for decoration, if you like.
• Place one cake layer on a cake board, flat side up.
• Spread 1/4 cup of the preserves evenly over the top, leaving a 1/4-inch margin all around.
• Place one marzipan round on top of the preserves and spread 1/3 cup of the Dark Ganache Glaze over the marzipan so that it completely covers the surface.
• Repeat with the second cake layer, adding more preserves, another round of marzipan, and more ganache glaze.
• Top the cake with the third layer.
• Spread the last of the apricot preserves over the top of the cake and cover it with the last round of marzipan.
• Place the cake on a wire cooling rack that is nesting in a baking pan.
• Pour the remaining ganache glaze over the cake, in several additions, spreading to coat the top and sides.
• Allow the ganache to set.
• Garnish the cake with the reserved chopped toasted pistachio nuts and a single marzipan rose or several smaller roses.
• TO MAKE THE MARZIPAN ROSES:.
• First, tint the marzipan, if desired, by kneading in a tiny amount of paste food coloring, dabbing just a small bit onto the marzipan with the tip of a toothpick.
• Flatten the tinted marzipan into a disk and roll out on a work surface dusted with confectioners' sugar or between 2 sheets of waxed paper to a sheet 1/8 inch thick.
• With a 1 1/2-inch round cookie cutter, cut out 8 or 9 circles.
• Cover all the marzipan you are not using immediately with plastic wrap so it doesn't dry out.
• Roll one piece of marzipan into a ball the size of a marble and pinch with your fingers to shape into a cone about 1 to 1 1/4 inches high, tapering to a fine point at the top.
• Take another round of marzipan and wrap it like a petal around the cone, pinching it at the bottom to adhere and at the top to thin and ruffle slightly like a flower.
• Repeat with the remaining petals overlapping slightly as you work your way around. If necessary, use a little water to help glue the marzipan in place.
• *Some Prep Tips:.
• The cake itself was baked a few days in advance, flash-froze them, wrapped each layer in three sheets of plastic wrap, and decorated it, still frozen. This made them very easy to maneuver, and saved us from the chaos that would be baking and decorating in one session. Wrapped well, you can freeze cakes for up to a month and nobody would ever know upon tasting the final product.

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 POKE CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Spray a 9x13-inch glass baking dish with floured cooking spray.
• Place cake mix in a large mixing bowl. Add water, vegetable oil, eggs, and food coloring; whisk until smooth. Pour batter into the prepared baking dish.
• Bake in the preheated oven until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean, 23 to 28 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool, about 30 minutes.
• When the cake is almost finished cooling, whisk together cold milk and pudding mix in a bowl for 2 minutes. Let sit until soft and thickened, about 5 minutes.
• Poke holes all over the top of the cooled cake using the handle of a clean wooden spoon. Pour pudding over the cake, spreading evenly to the edges. Spread whipped topping over the pudding layer. Sprinkle pistachios over top.