Fresh-Pressed Olive Oil Club
Explore Recipes Desserts Page 6

Vanilla and Olive Oil Custard Cream

Posted on by The Olive Oil Hunter

Delicious spooned over the Flourless Pistachio Cake, this custard also makes a luscious pudding you can enjoy on its own.

Ingredients

  • 3 tablespoons cornstarch
  • 1/2 cup granulated sugar
  • Pinch of fine sea salt
  • 4 egg yolks
  • 1 1/2 cups whole milk
  • 1/2 cup heavy cream
  • 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract or paste

Directions

Step 1

In a heat-safe bowl, whisk together the cornstarch, sugar, and salt. Add the yolks and whisk until the mixture is light yellow.

Step 2

Place the milk and the heavy cream in a saucepan and scald them—you should see a light skin start to form, but don’t let the mixture come to a fast boil. Vigorously whisk 1/4 cup of the liquid into the egg mixture, and then slowly whisk in the rest.

Step 3

Transfer the mixture back to the saucepan and bring to a medium boil over medium heat, whisking constantly. Let it boil for 2 minutes as you continue to whisk; it should become quite
thick. Remove from the heat. Whisk in the olive oil and vanilla, and transfer to a glass
serving bowl. Let it cool slightly, then press a round of parchment paper over the
surface to prevent a skin from forming. Serve warm or chilled.

Serves 4 as a pudding, 10 as a sauce for the pistachio cake

Flourless Pistachio Cake

Posted on by The Olive Oil Hunter

The Sicilian town of Bronte is synonymous with pistachios—the star of this moist and rich one-layer cake.

Ingredients

  • 4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, plus more for the pan
  • 12 ounces raw, unsalted shelled pistachios, preferably Sicilian
  • 3/4 cup granulated sugar, divided use
  • 6 large eggs, separated when cold, yolks and whites at room temperature
  • 1/4 teaspoon almond extract
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract or paste
  • Pinch of sea salt
  • 1 tablespoon sanding or demerara sugar (optional)

Directions

Step 1

Place an oven rack in the center position and heat the oven to 325°F. Line the bottom of a 9-inch springform pan with parchment paper and coat the paper and sides lightly with olive oil; set aside.

Step 2

Place the pistachios in a single layer on a rimmed sheet pan and bake for 5 minutes to lightly toast them. Let cool completely. Turn the oven up to 350°F.

Step 3

Pulse the pistachios and 1/2 cup of the sugar in the bowl of a food processor until you get a medium-coarse meal. In a large bowl, whisk the egg yolks, olive oil, and extracts until well blended. Fold in the pistachio meal and set aside.

Step 4

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a balloon whisk (or using a hand mixer), beat the egg whites with the salt and the rest of the sugar on low until frothy, about 1 minute. Then set the mixer to high and beat until stiff peaks form, about 6 to 8 minutes.

Step 5

Using a large spatula, fold the whipped whites into the pistachio mixture in 3 or 4 batches (don’t over-mix—a few streaks of the whites are okay). Transfer the batter to the pan, level the top with an offset spatula, and sprinkle on the sanding sugar, if using.

Step 6

Bake until the top of the cake is golden and springy to the touch, about 30 minutes. Let cool in the pan for 15 minutes, then remove the outer ring, invert the cake onto a rack, peel off the paper, and flip it over onto a cake plate. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Serves 10

Coconut Carrot Cake

Posted on by The Olive Oil Hunter

This moist one-layer cake was adapted from a recipe that Club member Patti H. shared with us. Although the verdict is out as to whether coconuts are indigenous to Australia, they were brought by European settlers and grow in tropical regions in the north of the continent. If available, shavings of fresh coconut are a tasty addition to the chopped pecans.

Ingredients

For the cake:

  • 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil, plus more for the baking pan
  • 2 cups flour
  • 2 ounces pecans, ground
  • 1 tablespoon baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 2 teaspoons cinnamon
  • 1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
  • 1/4 teaspoon allspice
  • 1/4 teaspoon powdered ginger
  • 2 cups finely grated carrots
  • 1/2 cup pineapple chunks, finely chopped
  • 1/2 cup pineapple juice
  • 1 cup unsweetened coconut flakes
  • 1 cup brown sugar
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

For the frosting:

  • 4 ounces mascarpone cheese, at room temperature
  • 1/4 cup coconut milk
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1/4 teaspoon almond extract
  • 2 to 3 cups confectioners’ sugar
  • 1 cup unsweetened coconut flakes
  • 1 cup chopped pecans

Directions

Step 1

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly oil a 9×13 baking pan. Sift together the flour, ground pecans, baking powder and soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, and ginger.

Step 2

In a separate bowl, mix the carrots, olive oil, pineapple and juice, coconut, sugar, and vanilla. Fold in the flour mixture in 2 batches. Transfer to the pan and use an offset spatula to smooth the top, being sure to get it into the corners. Bake 35-40 minutes, until the tip of a knife placed in the center of the cake comes out clean.

Step 3

While the cake is baking, make the frosting. Whisk together the cheese, coconut milk, and the extracts until smooth. Beat in the sugar, a cup at a time, until it reaches a spreadable consistency (you may not need the full third cup). Fold in the coconut. When the cake is completely cool, use a large offset spatula to spread on the frosting, then sprinkle on the chopped pecans.

Yields 16 servings

Olive Oil Cookies with Macadamia Nuts and Chocolate Drizzle

Posted on by The Olive Oil Hunter

Macadamia nuts, indigenous to Australia, were an important food source for the Aboriginal people who originally inhabited the island continent. In the 1880s, seeds from these beautiful trees were introduced to Hawaii, where they became an important crop. Buy extras if you make these cookies. The nuts are great to snack on, especially when roasted with olive oil and salt.

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup butter, at room temperature
  • 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 cup granulated sugar, divided use
  • 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
  • 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
  • 1 large egg
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour, or more as needed
  • 3/4 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/2 cup salted macadamia nuts, coarsely chopped
  • 6 ounces dark chocolate, melted

Directions

Step 1

In a large mixing bowl, combine the butter, olive oil, 1/2 cup granulated sugar, and the vanilla and almond extracts. Beat with a stand mixer or hand-held mixer until combined. Add the egg and beat until smooth. (Do not overbeat.)

Step 2

In a separate bowl, combine the flour and baking powder. Whisk thoroughly. Add to the wet ingredients and beat on low speed (or stir by hand) until combined. Stir in the nuts. Cover and refrigerate the dough for several hours, or up to overnight.

Step 3

When ready to bake, line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Heat the oven to 350°F.

Step 4

Pour the other 1/2 cup sugar into a shallow bowl.

Step 5

Roll the dough into golf ball-size balls (add a small amount of additional flour if the dough is too sticky to handle), then roll in the sugar. Arrange the balls on the prepared baking sheets, leaving 2 inches between each ball. Gently press on the balls with the bottom of a glass to partially flatten.

Step 6

Bake for 12 to 15 minutes, or until the edges barely begin to brown. Halfway through the baking time, tap the baking sheet(s) lightly against the oven rack to deflate any domes that might be developing in the center of the cookies.

Step 7

Let the cookies cool for 3 minutes on the baking sheets, then using a thin-bladed spatula, transfer in a single layer to a wire rack to finish cooling.

Step 8

Dip the tines of a dinner fork in the melted chocolate and drizzle over the tops of the cookies in a zig-zag pattern. Store the cookies in a single layer.

Makes 2 to 2 1/2 dozen cookies