Fresh-Pressed Olive Oil Club
Explore Recipes Page 30

Iced Olive Oil, Lemon and Blueberry Loaf

Posted on by The Olive Oil Hunter

This moist and flavorful cake is great for dessert, breakfast, or an afternoon treat.

Ingredients

For the loaf:

  • 2 extra-large eggs
  • 3/4 cup sugar
  • 3/4 cup Greek yogurt
  • 1/2 cup medium or bold extra-virgin olive oil
  • Zest of 2 lemons
  • 1/2 cup fresh lemon juice
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract or paste
  • 1 1/2 cups pastry flour
  • 1/2 cup whole wheat pastry flour
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
  • 2 cups blueberries

For the icing:

  • 1 cup confectioners’ sugar, or more as needed
  • 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
  • 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

Directions

Step 1

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a 9×5 loaf pan with parchment paper. In a large bowl, whisk the eggs until no whites are visible, then slowly whisk in the sugar, followed by the yogurt, olive oil, lemon zest and juice, and vanilla. In a separate bowl, combine the flours, baking powder, baking soda, and salt, then fold into the egg-oil mixture with a spatula until combined. Fold in all but a handful of the blueberries.

Step 2

Pour the batter into the loaf pan and level the top with the spatula, being sure to get the batter into all the corners. Sprinkle on the remaining blueberries and bake for 60 to 65 minutes, depending on your oven—it’s done when the point of dinner knife inserted in the center comes out clean, except for a possible trace of blueberry. Cool in the pan for 10 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to finish cooling.

Step 3

Once the cake is only barely warm, make the icing by whisking the confectioners’ sugar, olive oil, and lemon juice until incorporated. It should be thick—add more sugar if needed. Use a small offset spatula to spread it over the top of the cake.

Serves 8 to 10

Dulce de Leche Sundaes

Posted on by The Olive Oil Hunter

Craving the sweetness of dulce de leche but don’t want to go to the trouble of making it yourself? A store-bought brand (La Serenísima is excellent) is the way to go—just be sure to get 100 percent pure milk-and-sugar dulce de leche and not a “sauce” made with any additional ingredients. This combination of warm topping, salty hazelnuts, and vanilla bean ice cream is divine.

Ingredients

For the salted hazelnuts:

  • 2 ounces hazelnuts
  • 2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil
  • 1/3 teaspoon coarse salt (kosher or sea)

For the dulce de leche topping:

  • 1/4 cup heavy cream, or as needed
  • 8 ounces dulce de leche
  • 2 tablespoons mild extra virgin olive oil

For the parfaits:

  • 1 quart best-quality vanilla bean ice cream

Directions

Step 1

Prepare the hazelnuts: Preheat the oven to 300°F. Place the hazelnuts in a small bowl and add the olive oil; toss to coat. Transfer the nuts to a parchment-lined rimmed sheet pan and roast for 20 minutes, shaking the pan halfway through. Take the nuts out of the oven, put them on a small plate, and sprinkle with the salt; set aside.

Step 2

Make the sauce: Bring the cream to a simmer over medium heat. Off the heat, slowly whisk in the dulce de leche and then the olive oil. Note: the heavy cream is to make the dulce de leche pourable and silken—adjust the amount based on the thickness of your brand of dulce de leche.

Step 3

To assemble the sundaes, place three small scoops of ice cream in each of four parfait glasses or small bowls. Top with equal amounts of sauce and hazelnuts.

Serves 4

Mixed Berry Buckle

Posted on by The Olive Oil Hunter

When it comes to cobblers versus cakes, a buckle is the best of both worlds—a rich batter heavily studded with fresh fruit and topped with a crunchy crumble. As it bakes, the batter rises, or buckles, over the berries as the crumble crisps and browns. This version uses three berries for a red, white, and blue theme (the cake itself counts as the “white”!). The following proportions are for a large cake that will feed a crowd or provide delicious leftovers for breakfast the next day.

Ingredients

For the crumble topping:

  • 4 ounces unsalted butter, cubed and chilled
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 2/3 cup flour
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon 

For the cake:

  • 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil, plus more for the baking dish
  • 2-1/2 cups all-purpose flour 
  • 1/2 cup whole wheat pastry flour
  • 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
  • 1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 8 ounces unsalted butter at room temperature 
  • 2 cups granulated sugar 
  • 8 large eggs
  • 6 cups assorted berries, such as blueberries, blackberries, and sliced strawberries

Directions

Step 1

Make the topping: Use your hands or a pastry blender to turn the butter, sugar, flour, and cinnamon into small bits, ranging from the size of peas to beans. Set aside.

Step 2

Preheat your oven to 350°F. Lightly coat a 13-inch by 9-inch baking dish with olive oil; set aside. To make the batter, in a medium bowl, whisk together the flours, salt, and baking powder. In a large bowl or standing mixer, cream butter and sugar until fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating after each addition to combine, then add the olive oil and briefly beat again. Gradually add to the wet ingredients, mixing just until incorporated.

Step 3

Transfer the batter to your baking dish and use a large offset spatula to smooth the top. Arrange the berries evenly over the top, being sure to get some into the corners of the dish. Crumble the topping evenly over the fruit.

Step 4

Bake until the tip of a sharp knife inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean, about an hour. Serve while still warm.

Yields 12 servings

Easy Potato Gnocchi

Posted on by The Olive Oil Hunter

Intimidated by the idea of making pasta at home? Gnocchi is a happy compromise because you don’t need a pasta machine or endless rolling to achieve delectable results. A 2:1 potato to flour ratio works best; for accuracy, measure with a kitchen scale. For the smoothest dough, use a potato ricer, a handy and inexpensive tool (see the “Quick Kitchen Nugget” in Olive Oil Hunter News). 

Ingredients

  • 2 pounds Yukon gold or red potatoes, peeled
  • 1 large egg, slightly beaten
  • 1 pound all-purpose or 00 pasta flour, plus more for shaping
  • 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • 3 teaspoons fine sea salt, divided use

Directions

Step 1

Peel and quarter the potatoes. Steam them on a steaming rack placed over a few inches of water in a large, covered pot until tender, about 25 minutes. The water should stay at a simmer; check halfway through to see if you need to add more. 

Step 2

Let the potatoes cool slightly and then press them through a ricer set over a large bowl, working in batches. Add in the egg, flour, olive oil, and 1 teaspoon of salt, and use your hands to mix the ingredients well and knead into a ball. Dust a clean section of your countertop with a handful of flour. Turn out the dough, shape it into a log, and cut it into 6 even sections. One at a time, roll each section into a rope about 1 inch in diameter, lightly flouring your hands as needed. Use a bench scraper to cut each rope into 1-inch pieces.  

Step 3

Bring a very large pot of water to a boil. Add the rest of the salt and the gnocchi. Lower the heat to a medium boil and cook until the gnocchi rise to the surface, just a few minutes. Scoop them out with a spider strainer, and top with sauce as desired.

Yields 4 servings