Tuscan Cake With Citrus Compote Recipes

ITALIAN LEMON RICOTTA CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9 inch springform pan using butter and powdered sugar; set aside.
• In a large mixing bowl or stand up mixer, cream together the butter and sugar until combined. Add in the ricotta cheese and blend until light and fluffy, about 4 to 5 minutes.
• Mix in the eggs, one at a time. Add in the vanilla, lemon zest, and lemon juice and mix to combine. In the same bowl, stir in the baking soda and salt. Lastly, add in the flour and mix until just combined, scraping down the sides of bowl to full incorporate all of the ingredients.
• Pour the batter into the prepared springform pan. Bake for 45-55 minutes, or until the cake is set and a toothpick inserted in the middle of the cake comes out clean.
• Let cool in pan for 15 minutes before removing the collar and base of the pan. Cool on a wire rack and dust with powdered sugar before serving.

ALMOND CITRUS OLIVE OIL CAKE

Steps:

• To make the cake: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly oil an 8-inch-diameter cake pan. Whisk the flour, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl to blend. Using an electric mixer, beat the sugar, eggs, and zests in a large bowl until pale and fluffy. Beat in the milk. Gradually beat in the oil. Add the flour mixture and stir just until blended. Stir in the almonds. Transfer the batter to the prepared pan. Place cake pan on baking pan to collect any possible spills. Bake until a tester inserted into the center of the cake comes out with moist crumbs attached, about 35 minutes. Transfer to a rack and cool for 15 minutes. Remove cake and place on serving platter, top side up. Sift powdered sugar over the cake.
• To make the citrus compote: Stir the orange peel, blossom water, and 2 tablespoons of accumulated juices from the segmented fruit in a small bowl to blend. Arrange the orange and grapefruit segments decoratively in a wide shallow bowl. Pour the blossom water mixture over. Cover and let stand 15 minutes for the flavors to blend.
• Cut the cake into wedges and spoon the citrus compote alongside.

ANGEL FOOD CAKE WITH TROPICAL FRUIT COMPOTE

Steps:

• For the cake: Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F.
• Sift the flour together with 1/2 cup of the sugar and set aside.
• Put the egg whites in the bowl of an electric mixer. Be SURE that the bowl is clean and dry, any fat in the bowl can prevent the egg whites from whipping up fluffy fluffy fluffy! Add the salt and the cream of tartar to the egg whites. Beat the egg whites on a medium-high speed until they reach soft peaks, about 5 minutes.
• While the mixer is running, gradually add the remaining sugar. DO NOT plop the sugar in all at once or it will push the air out of the whites that we are trying to beat in. Add in the vanilla and zests and then stop the mixer. Add 1/3 of the flour/sugar mixture and fold gently fold, do this quickly but gently. Repeat the process 2 more times until all of the flour/sugar mixture is incorporated.
• Transfer the cake batter into an ungreased tube pan. Bang the cake pan on the counter a couple of times to release any air bubbles trapped in the cake batter.
• Bake the cake on a sheet tray in the preheated oven until it is light and springy, about 1 1/4 hours. Cool the cake for at least 1 hour before unmolding. Serve with the tropical fruit compote.
• For the compote: In a food processor or blender, puree the coarsely chopped mango and 1/2 cup orange juice. If this mixture needs a little more sweetness, add in the 2 teaspoons of sugar and puree for another 10 seconds or until the sugar has dissolved.
• Combine all of the fruit and remaining orange juice and let the mixture sit at room temperature for 20 to 30 minutes.
• Serve slices of the cake drizzled with the mango puree and sprinkled generously with the fruit compote. Garnish with mint and serve.
• Wow! How tropical-fruity and the cake is light as air!

ORANGE SOUR CREAM CAKE WITH BLUEBERRY COMPOTE

Steps:

• To prepare the cake: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In bowl of a mixer with a paddle attachment, combine flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, orange rind and salt. Cut butter into small pieces and add to bowl. Mix at low speed until crumbly.
• Add 1/4 cup sour cream. Mix at medium speed until smooth and paste-like. Scrape bowl, and add remaining 1/4 cup sour cream and egg yolks. Beat at high speed for 1 minute. Scrape bowl, and add orange extract and vanilla extract. Beat at high speed until light and fluffy, about 1 more minute.
• Butter the bottom and sides of an 8-inch cake pan, and line the bottom with a piece of parchment paper cut to fit. Scrape batter into pan, and smooth with a spatula. Bake until top is golden brown and a toothpick inserted in center of cake comes out clean, about 30 to 35 minutes. Remove from oven. Cool.
• To prepare compote: In a medium glass, enameled or other nonreactive saucepan, combine lemon juice, cornstarch and sugar. Mix until smooth. Add blueberries, vanilla extract, elderberry essence and salt. Stir gently to mix. Place over medium-low heat, and simmer just until liquid thickens and blueberries darken in color. Remove from heat, and transfer to a bowl.
• To serve, remove cake from pan. Slice, and serve topped with blueberry compote.

FRESH CITRUS COMPOTE

Steps:

• For Syrup:
• Bring all ingredients to boil in heavy medium saucepan. Boil until liquid is reduced to 3/4 cup, about 25 minutes. Using small sharp knife, scrape vanilla seeds into syrup; return bean to syrup. Cool. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and store at room temperature.)
• For Fruit:
• Cut peel and white pith off oranges and grapefruit. Using small sharp knife, cut between membranes of oranges and grapefruit to release segments. Cut each kiwi into 8 wedges. Cut pineapple into 1/2-inch-thick slices. Drain fruit. Place in bowl. Discard vanilla bean and star anise from syrup. Pour syrup over fruit and stir to combine. Serve over frozen vanilla yogurt or ice cream.

TUSCAN CAKE WITH CITRUS COMPOTE

Steps:

• 1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees. 2. To prepare cake, place sugar and oil in a large bowl; beat with a mixer at high speed for 2 minutes or until well blended. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Add rinds, vanilla, and yogurt; beat until combined. 3. Weigh or lightly spoon flour and cornmeal into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Combine flour, cornmeal, baking soda, baking powder, and salt, stirring with a whisk. Add flour mixture to oil mixture; stir with a whisk just until combined. Pour batter into a 9-inch springform pan coated with cooking spray. Bake at 325 degrees for 30 minutes or until golden brown and a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes on a wire rack; remove sides from pan. Cool cake completely on rack. 4. To prepare compote, peel and section grapefruit and oranges over a medium bowl, reserving juices; place sections in another bowl. Combine reserved juices and lime juice in a small saucepan; bring to a boil. Stir in honey and allspice; reduce heat, and simmer 4 minutes or until syrupy. Cover and chill 30 minutes. Pour over fruit sections; toss gently. Chill. Serve compote over cake.