Fresh-Pressed Olive Oil Club
Explore Recipes Desserts Page 11

Olive Oil Fudge Sauce

Posted on by The Olive Oil Hunter

Delicious over homemade olive oil ice cream or premium store-bought vanilla, this decadently rich sauce forms a soft chocolate shell as soon as you spoon it on the cold ice cream.

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup heavy cream
  • 6 ounces chopped bittersweet chocolate
  • 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

Directions

Step 1

In a small heavy-bottomed saucepan, over medium heat, heat the cream until it simmers. Reduce the heat to low and add the chocolate. Whisk until the chocolate is melted and smooth. Whisk in the olive oil. Remove the sauce from the heat.

Step 2

Pour the sauce into a gravy boat or small container with a pouring spout if serving immediately. Otherwise, it can be held in a covered container at room temperature for up to 5 days, or refrigerated. Reheat for a few seconds in a microwave or a double-boiler.

Makes 1 cup — Recipe courtesy of the Fresh-Pressed Olive Oil Club

Chocolate Chiffon Layer Cake

Posted on by The Olive Oil Hunter

Wedges of these light-and-luscious layers are great on their own or with a dollop of thick Icelandic skyr or Middle Eastern labneh, a cultured dairy product rich in probiotics. To elevate them to layer-cake status for a festive occasion, chocolate whipped cream is all you need.

Ingredients

For the chocolate cake: 

  • 5 large eggs
  • 1 cup cake flour
  • 1/2 cup cocoa
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1 cup sugar, divided
  • 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
  • 1/2 cup brewed coffee at room temperature
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar

For the chocolate whipped cream:

  • 1/3 cup cocoa, plus more for dusting
  • 1/2 cup confectioners’ sugar
  • 1 teaspoon instant espresso
  • 3 cups heavy cream
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla

Directions

Step 1

Separate the whites from the yolks when the eggs are cold and let them come to room temperature (the whites will whip much better). Place one of the racks in the middle of your oven and preheat to 325°F. Line two 9-inch cake pans with parchment paper, but don’t grease them; set aside. 

Step 2

In a very large bowl, sift together the flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. In another bowl, whisk the yolks and 1/2 cup sugar until fully blended and light in color, about 2 minutes, and then whisk in the olive oil, coffee, and vanilla. Whisk the egg mixture into the flour mixture until this batter is completely blended.

Step 3

In the bowl of a stand mixer or another large bowl, beat the egg whites and cream of tartar on low speed for about 30 seconds, and then gradually add the remaining 1/2 cup sugar as you slowly increase the speed to high. Continue beating until you get a glossy meringue with firm peaks, about 8 to 10 minutes.

Step 4

Fold about a cup of meringue into the batter to lighten it and then gently fold in the rest in three batches, just until there are barely any streaks of meringue visible. Divide the batter between the two pans and gently smooth the surfaces with an offset spatula. Bake the cakes on the same rack for 15 minutes and then reverse their positions. Continue baking until the tops spring back when lightly pressed with a fingertip and a tester comes out clean, about 10–15 minutes more, depending on your oven.

Step 5

Invert the pans onto two wire racks to cool for about an hour. Turn them right side up and run an offset spatula around the sides of the cakes to loosen them. Invert again, take off the pans, peel off the parchment, and let cool completely.

Step 6

To make the chocolate whipped cream, whisk the cocoa, confectioners’ sugar, and espresso powder together in a small bowl. Whip the heavy cream and vanilla at medium speed until thickened, add the cocoa mixture, turn up the speed to high, and whip until stiff. Use a large spatula to spread about 1/3 of the chocolate cream on one of the cake layers. Top with the other layer and spread the rest of the cream on the top and sides. Dust with additional cocoa. Store covered in the fridge.

Yields 8–10 servings

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