Fresh-Pressed Olive Oil Club
Explore Recipes Desserts Page 11

Glazed Pistachio Olive Oil Cake

Posted on by The Olive Oil Hunter

I love pistachios, and this is one for the books. Garnish with sugar-encrusted cranberries, if desired.

Ingredients

For the cake:

  • Baking spray
  • Almond flour, approximately 1/4 cup
  • 1 1/2 cups lightly toasted salted pistachios, plus 2 tablespoons for garnish
  • 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/8 teaspoon table salt
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cardamom
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 4 large eggs, room temperature
  • 1 3/4 cups granulated sugar
  • 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil, plus 2 tablespoons
  • 1 stick (4 ounces) salted butter
  • 2 teaspoons grated orange zest
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • 1 teaspoon orange blossom water (optional)
  • 3/4 cup whole milk, room temperature

For the glaze:

  • Baking spray
  • 3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
  • 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed orange juice
  • 1/3 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 cup powdered sugar

Directions

Step 1

Preheat the oven to 350°F with a rack in the center. Spray a bundt pan (10 cup capacity) with baking spray. Dust it with almond flour and set aside.

Step 2

In a small skillet, melt and cook the stick of butter until the solids are golden brown. Watch carefully. You can also do this in a bowl in
the microwave. Set aside to cool.

Step 3

Grind 1 1/2 cups, plus an additional 2 tablespoons of pistachios in a food processor until they are finely ground, but stop before they turn into paste. Remove 2 tablespoons for the garnish.

Step 4

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cardamom, and cinnamon.

Step 5

In a stand mixer outfitted with the paddle attachment, beat the eggs, sugar, olive oil, cooled brown butter, and orange zest for 3 minutes on medium speed, adding the vanilla, and orange blossom water, if using, during the last 30 seconds.

Step 6

Turn the speed down to low and add 1/3 of the flour, followed by half of the milk. Repeat, ending with the flour. Beat on the lowest speed for 30 seconds. Stir in the ground pistachios. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 45 minutes, or until a skewer comes out clean and the cake has pulled away from the sides of the pan. Let cool on a rack for 15 minutes while you make the glaze.

Step 7

Whisk together the lemon juice, orange juice, granulated sugar, and powdered sugar.

Step 8

Invert the cake onto a cooling rack and brush the top with the glaze. Sprinkle with the reserved ground pistachios. Let the cake cool completely before slicing and serving.

Serves 12 to 15 — Recipe adapted from thesaltedpotato.com

Very Berry Muffins

Posted on by The Olive Oil Hunter

These extra-moist muffins provide a blueberry explosion in every bite. You won’t have to hunt for the fruit because tossing the berries in a small amount of flour keeps them from sinking to the bottom.

Ingredients

  • 3 heaping cups blueberries, rinsed and patted dry
  • ½ cup plus 1 tablespoon white whole wheat flour
  • 1 cup all-purpose or pastry flour
  • 2-½ teaspoons baking powder 
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 3/4 cup cottage cheese
  • 1/4 cup sour cream
  • 1/2 cup Greek yogurt
  • 3 large eggs
  • 1 scant cup sugar  
  • 3/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 tablespoon vanilla paste or extract 

Directions

Step 1

Preheat your oven to 350°F. Lightly coat a 12-muffin tin with nonstick cooking spray or a small amount of olive oil. 

Step 2

Toss the blueberries with the tablespoon of white whole wheat flour and set aside. Mix the rest of the dry ingredients in a bowl. 

Step 3

In a second, larger bowl, whisk the cottage cheese, sour cream, and yogurt until smooth, then whisk in the eggs and sugar and, when blended, the oil and vanilla. 

Step 4

Fold in the flour mixture and then the blueberries. Use a large ice cream scoop to fill the muffin cups, mounding the batter in the center. (The batter will completely fill the cups.)

Step 5

Bake for about 45 minutes, until the tip of a knife inserted in the center of two or three muffins doesn’t show any raw batter—there may be some blueberry on it. Let the muffins cool for about 15 minutes before eating.

Yields 12 large muffins

Ma’amoul (Date-Filled Cookies)

Posted on by The Olive Oil Hunter

These buttery date-filled cookies featuring olive oil hail from the Middle East—potentially from ancient Egypt—and are an unexpected addition to holiday cookie trays.

Ingredients

  • 1/3 cup roasted, salted pistachio nuts, chopped
  • 1/3 cup pitted whole dates, chopped
  • 1/4 cup apricot spreadable fruit preserves or jam
  • 1/2 teaspoon orange zest
  • 1 cup white whole wheat flour
  • 1 cup semolina or all-purpose flour
  • 2 tablespoons powdered sugar, plus additional for dusting, if desired
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 cup butter, softened
  • 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
  • 2 tablespoons milk
  • 2 tablespoons orange blossom water, rosewater, or orange juice

Directions

Step 1

Make the filling: In a small bowl, combine the pistachios, dates, spreadable fruit, and orange zest. In a medium bowl stir together the next five ingredients (through the salt).

Step 2

In a large bowl, beat the butter and olive oil with a mixer on medium speed for 30 seconds. Combine the milk and orange blossom water. Add the flour mixture and milk mixture alternately to the butter mixture, beating on low after each addition until just combined. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and let it stand at room temperature for 1 hour.

Step 3

Preheat the oven to 325°F. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper. Roll the dough into balls, using 1 1/2 tablespoons for each cookie. Pat each ball into a 2 3/4-inch circle. Top each with a rounded teaspoon of filling. Bring up the edges to wrap the dough around the filling; pinch to seal. Roll between your palms to make a smooth ball, then flatten to a thickness of 1/2 inch. Place, seam side down, on the prepared cookie sheet. Using a skewer, fork, or other kitchen tool, make a decorative pattern on top of each cookie, pressing lightly.

Step 4

Bake for 17 to 19 minutes, or until the bottoms are light brown. If desired, dust the warm cookies with additional powdered sugar.

Makes 20 cookies — Recipe from Better Homes and Gardens

Chocolate Crème

Posted on by The Olive Oil Hunter

This pot-de-crème-inspired chocolate dessert is simplicity itself, rich and light at the same time. Enjoy it as is or as the filling for an 8-inch tart—a pistachio crust is sensational. 

Ingredients

  • 10 ounces bittersweet chocolate
  • 1 1/2 cups half-and-half
  • 4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

Directions

Step 1

Place the chocolate in a large heatproof bowl. Heat the half-and-half to a simmer and immediately pour it over the chocolate. Wait 5 minutes and then stir until the chocolate is fully melted.  

Step 2

Stir in the olive oil until well-blended.

Step 3

Pour into four small dessert bowls or coupe glasses and refrigerate until firm, from 4 hours to overnight.

Yields 4 servings