 makes one 9" x 5" cake
For the pound cake- 1 cup all-purpose flour ¾ cup semolina flour ½ teaspoon salt ½ teaspoon ground cardamom ⅛ teaspoon baking soda 1 stick (4 oz.) unsalted butter, room temperature zest of one orange 1½ cups sugar 3 large eggs, room temperature ½ cup plain Greek-style yogurt or sour cream 1½ teaspoons vanilla extract Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Lightly butter one 9”x 5” loaf pan; line the bottom and sides with parchment paper. Butter the parchment and dust the pan with flour, and tap out the excess. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flours, salt, cardamom, and baking soda. In a separate bowl, rub the orange zest into the sugar. In the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat butter and orange zest/sugar on medium speed until fluffy. Add the eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Scrape down the sides and the bottom of the bowl and beat on medium until smooth. With mixer on low, gradually add the flour mixture in thirds, alternating with the yogurt (or sour cream.) Add the vanilla. Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan. Place the pan on a baking sheet and bake on the middle rack of the pre-heated oven until the center tests clean with a small knife or toothpick, about 1 hour and 10 minutes. Set the cake to cool on a rack for 15 minutes, then use a small offset spatula or knife to loosen the cake from the pan. Carefully turn the cake out and let it cool completely on the cooling rack. (If you are not serving the cake that day, wrap it in plastic wrap. It can be stored, wrapped, at room temperature for 3 days.) For the gin poached rhubarb- 3 tablespoons good quality gin (I’m a fan of Hendricks) 3 tablespoons sugar 1½ cups of diced rhubarb (make sure to remove all leaves, rinse the rhubarb and pat dry) In a heavy bottomed saucepan, place the gin and sugar. Cook over low heat until the sugar dissolves. Add the diced rhubarb and simmer for 7 minutes, just until the rhubarb softens but still holds its shape. Use a slotted spoon to remove the rhubarb from the saucepan; place the rhubarb in a bowl to cool. Reduce the liquid in the saucepan slightly, until it becomes syrupy. Let the syrup cool completely then add it back to the cooled rhubarb. Cover and refrigerate until serving or up to 3 days. For the Campari soaked cherries- 1 cup sweet or sour cherries, rinsed, stems removed, pitted ½ cup sugar ½ cup water 2 tablespoons Campari 1 tablespoon sweet vermouth 1 vanilla bean, split Place the sugar and water in a heavy bottomed saucepan. Cook over low heat until the sugar dissolves. Remove from the heat and set aside to cool. When cool, add the sugar syrup to the cherries. Add the Campari, sweet vermouth, and the vanilla bean to the cherries. Cover and refrigerate overnight or up to 3 days. For the Negroni glaze- 2 cups powdered sugar 2 tablespoons Campari 1 tablespoon Gin (or 1 tablespoon syrup from the gin poached rhubarb) 1 or 2 tablespoons fresh orange juice (depends how thick/thin you prefer the glaze) Place the powdered in a medium mixing bowl. Gradually add the Campari, gin, and orange juice, whisking until smooth. Pour the glaze over the cooled pound cake and smooth with an offset spatula. Let the glaze set before slicing. Garnish with gin poached rhubarb and Campari cherries.
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 makes one 9½” tart
For the pastry- 1 cup all-purpose flour 1 cup white whole wheat flour ½ cup finely ground toasted almonds 1 teaspoon salt 1½ teaspoons sugar 2 sticks cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces 4-6 tablespoons ice cold water In the bowl of a food processor fitted with the blade attachment, pulse the flours, ground almonds, salt, and sugar. Add the cold butter pieces, pulsing until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs with some larger pieces. Transfer the flour/butter mixture to a large mixing bowl. Add 4 tablespoons of the ice water, a tablespoon at a time, tossing the mixture with your fingers until the dough just starts to hold together. (You may need the full 6 tablespoons of water.) Gather the dough together, divide it in half, and wrap each portion of dough in plastic wrap. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before rolling out. Roll one portion of dough into a circle, about 12” in diameter. Fit the dough into a lightly buttered and floured 9½” x 1½” tart pan with removable bottom. Fold the excess along the top edge of the pan to create a rim. Place the pastry-lined pan in the freezer for 30 minutes, until firm. Retrieve the second portion of dough (the top crust) from the fridge and roll it into a circle, about 10” in diameter. You can cut 1” strips if you wish to make a lattice or cut out decorative shapes with small cookie cutters. Refrigerate your top crust while you prepare the filling. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. For the filling- (adapted from Kate Lebo) 1 pound fresh sour cherries, rinsed and pitted (you should have 2½ cups) 1 pound fresh apricots, rinsed, halved, pitted, cut in fourths (you should have 2½ cups) zest and juice from one small orange 3 dashes of orange or cherry bitters ½ teaspoon vanilla extract 1 cup packed dark brown sugar (if the apricots are very tart, add one addtl. tablespoon of brown sugar) pinch of salt ¼ teaspoon ground cardamom 4 tablespoons cornstarch or tapioca flour egg wash made from 1 egg beaten with 1 tablespoon milk or cream coarse sanding sugar for sprinkling Place the cherries and apricots in a large mixing bowl. Add the zest, juice, bitters, and vanilla to the fruit. In a medium bowl, whisk together the brown sugar, salt, cardamom, and cornstarch OR tapioca flour. Retrieve the tart pan from the fridge and place it on a parchment lined baking sheet. Add the sugar/spice/thickener mixture to the fruit; use a rubber scraper to thoroughly combine. Pour the filling into the tart pan. Retrieve the top crust (lattice strips or cutouts) from the fridge and place over the filling. Brush with the egg wash and sprinkle with coarse sanding sugar. Place the tart in the freezer for ten minutes to set the pastry. Cover the edges of the tart with aluminum foil strips. Place the tart on the bottom rack of the preheated oven. Bake for 15-20 minutes, just until the crust begins to turn golden. Move the baking sheet to the middle rack of the oven and reduce the oven temperature to 375 degrees F. Bake the tart until juices bubble around the edges and through the center, about 40-45 minutes. (If the top crust is getting dark, place a sheet of parchment paper on top of the tart.) Set on a cooling rack to cool completely before removing outside ring of tart pan.  Serves 4 For the Lattice- 1¼ cups all-purpose flour 1½ teaspoons sugar ½ teaspoon salt ½ teaspoon ground pink peppercorns ½ cup (1 stick) cold, unsalted butter, cut into small pieces ¼ cup ice cold water combined with 1 teaspoon orange bitters In a large bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, salt, and ground peppercorns. Add the cold butter pieces, tossing to coat in the flour mixture. Use your fingers to incorporate the butter, gently rubbing the butter pieces between your fingers; you should have mostly pea-size pieces with some larger pieces. Gradually add the ice cold water and bitters to the flour/butter mixture, tossing the dough just until it becomes shaggy and just holds its shape. Gather the dough together and gently press it into a rectangle. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least one hour before rolling out. When chilled, roll the dough on a lightly floured sheet of parchment paper into a rectangle, about ⅛” thick. Use a pastry wheel or a sharp knife to cut the dough into 1” strips. On a separate sheet of parchment paper, create a lattice by placing one lattice strip in the center of the parchment, then another strip perpendicular to the first strip, forming a “t.” Add the remaining strips to create a lattice. Slice the parchment with the lattice onto a baking sheet and refrigerate for 15-20 minutes, until firm. Cut circles of the lattice using a 2” cookie cutter. Refrigerate the lattice circles while you prepare the berries. For the strawberries- (from Matt Jennings) 1 quart local strawberries, stems removed and hulled 2 teaspoons sugar 1 tablespoon elderflower liqueur (I used St. Germaine) Preheat the oven to 250 degrees F. Place a wire rack over a rimmed baking sheet. Place the strawberries in a medium bowl and sprinkle evenly with the sugar. With the stem-side down, place the strawberries on the rack. Bake in the preheated oven for 20-25 minutes, just until the berries soften and release some of their juices. (They should still hold their shape.) Remove from the oven and set aside to cool. Increase the oven temperature to 425 degrees F. Prepare the basil sugar. For the Basil Sugar- 3 tablespoons sugar 1 tablespoons fresh basil In the bowl of a food processor fitted with the blade attachment, process the sugar and basil until fine. Set aside. Slice the berries in half, and place them (along with any juices from the baking sheet and the sliced fruit) in a large bowl. Add the elderflower liqueur and toss gently to coat. Retrieve the lattice circles from the fridge and bake in the 425 degree F oven for 12-15 minutes, just until golden. Sprinkle with basil sugar. Serve with the strawberries and freshly whipped cream or ice cream. (Any leftover strawberries should be covered and refrigerated. Any leftover lattice should be kept in an airtight tin.)   From Stacy Adimando makes one 9” cake
For the cake- 1 cup cornmeal 1 cup unbleached all-purpose flour 1½ tsp. kosher salt ½ tsp. baking powder ¼ tsp. baking soda 5 Tbsp. unsalted butter 5 Tbsp. fruity extra-virgin olive oil ⅓ cup sugar 1 Tbsp. plus 1 tsp. honey 3 large eggs ¼ tsp. pure vanilla extract ¾ cup whole milk ½ cup buttermilk For the garnish- 1 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil Fresh rosemary (2 Tbsp.), or crumbled chive flowers or fresh thyme Flaky sea salt Freshly ground black pepper (my black pepper cupboard was bare- I used pink peppercorns) Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. In a medium bowl, whisk together the cornmeal, flour, salt, baking powder, and baking soda. In a small saucepan over medium-low heat, melt 4 Tbsp. butter. Pour the butter into a large heat-proof bowl and let cool slightly. Add 4 Tbsp. of olive oil, the sugar, and honey. Whisk in the eggs and vanilla until incorporated. Whisk in the milk and buttermilk until incorporated. Gradually add the cornmeal mixture, stirring the batter with a spatula until mostly smooth. Place a 9” cake pan in the oven with the remaining 1 Tbsp. each of butter and olive oil in it. Once the butter melts, remove the pan and tilt it until the bottom and a little of the sides are greased. Stir the cornmeal batter well and pour it into the hot pan. Spread to fill evenly. Bake until a tester inserted into the center comes out clean, about 22-25 minutes. To Garnish- Brush the cake with the olive oil and sprinkle with the rosemary, sea salt and a little pepper. Let cool slightly. Cut into wedges and serve hot or warm. Wrap any leftovers in plastic wrap; they will keep for up to 4 days.  (a hybrid from Pearl Metzelthin’s The World Wide Cook Book, William H. Wise & Co’s The Wise Encyclopedia of Cookery. Special thanks to Kathryn Pauline of the blog, Cardamom and Tea, and Majed Ali, of the blog The Cinnaman, who constantly teach and inspire.) makes 15 For the dough- ½ cup fine semolina flour 1½ cups all-purpose flour ½ teaspoon salt 4 oz. cold butter, cut into ½” pieces 2 tablespoons sugar ½ teaspoon ground cardamom zest from one medium orange 1 large egg 3 tablespoons plain yogurt ⅛ teaspoon almond extract OR Mahlab* (the preferred spice, which is the small pit of a wild sour cherry ground until fine. *available in some specialty food stores and Middle Eastern markets In the bowl of a food processor fitted with the blade attachment, combine semolina and all-purpose flour, salt, cold butter pieces, sugar, cardamom, and orange zest. Pulse several times to combine; the mixture should resemble coarse meal with a few larger pieces of butter. Transfer the mixture to a large mixing bowl. In a small bowl, whisk together 3 tablespoons of yogurt with 1 large egg. Add the yogurt/egg mixture to the flour/butter mixture, tossing with your fingertips until you have a soft dough. Do not over mix. Gather the dough together, divide it in two equal portions and shape each portion into a disc. Wrap each disc in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least one hour before rolling out. Prepare the filling. For the date filling- 1 cup freshly squeezed orange juice 1 cup Medjool dates, halved and pitted ¼ teaspoon ground cardamom ¼ teaspoon orange blossom water In a heavy bottomed saucepan, combine the orange juice, dates, and cardamom. Simmer, covered, over low heat for 20-25 minutes, until the dates are soft. Remove from the heat and add the orange blossom water. Scrape the date mixture into the bowl of a food processor fitted with the blade attachment. Process until smooth, scrape the date puree into a bowl and let cool completely before assembling the hand pies. When ready to roll out the dough, preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Fill a small custard cup or dish with cool water to seal the hand pies together. Retrieve the dough from the refrigerator. On a lightly floured sheet of parchment paper, roll one portion of dough into a circle, about ⅛” thick. Repeat with the second portion of dough. If you do not have a mini pie mold or a Maamoul mold, use a 2½” fluted cutter to cut out 30 circles, 2 circles per hand pie. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Place 15 circles of dough on the baking sheet. Place one rounded teaspoon of date filling in the center of each circle. Use a small pastry brush (or your pinky) to brush the edges of each filled circle with water. Flip the remaining circles of dough (the lids) and brush the edges with water. Cover the filled dough circles with a lid, gently pressing the moistened edges together, sealing the filling. Use a small fork to crimp the edges. Poke a few holes in the center of each filled pastry to allow steam to escape. (I used a cake tester.) Refrigerate the unbaked hand pies for 20 minutes. This will help them keep their shape in the oven. Bake on the middle rack of the 425 degree F. preheated oven for 12-15 minutes, just until the hand pies are golden. Set on a rack to cool while you prepare the glaze. Orange Glaze ⅔ cup confectioners’ sugar ⅛ teaspoon ground cardamom 2 tablespoons fresh orange juice For garnish- 1 tablespoon orange zest ½ cup finely ground toasted walnuts Sift the confectioners’ sugar and cardamom into a small bowl. Add the orange juice, stirring together until smooth. In a small bowl, toss the orange zest with the ground walnuts. The glaze will solidify after you drizzle it, so use a fork to drizzle the glaze over one hand pie at a time, then immediately sprinkle with the zest and walnuts. Any leftovers should be stored in a cookie tin.  |
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