Pistachios for Afternoon Tea
Pistachio, a complete protein, high fiber, low fat, low cholesterol, nutrient-rich tree nut, is a delicious flavor easily incorporated into many afternoon tea sweets. A homemade teacake, cake log or store-bought petit fours and macaron are all perfect accompaniments to enhance a good cup of tea. When paired with the rose or cardamom it becomes extra special.
Pistachio ~ Rose Teacake ©Ellen Easton
INGREDIENTS: For Cake Pan~ Pam™ Baking Spray and ½ cup granulated sugar| For Cake~ One Poundcake Mix or your own favorite recipe from scratch| ½ Cup Ground Pistachio Nuts, Plus ¼ Cup for garnish| ½ teaspoon of LorAnn Pistachio Oil, 18 dried, edible Rose Buds, divided 12 and 6| For Sugar Glaze~ 1 Cup Powdered Sugar| 1 teaspoon Nielsen Massey Rose Water( Or substitute ground cardamom)| 2 Tablespoons Water| 2-3 drops pink food coloring.
PREPARATION: Spray the bottom and sides of the baking pan with Pam™ Baking spray and dust same with granulated sugar. Batter~ Follow instructions on cake mix. Add the pistachio nuts and oil to the batter. In an electric mixer bland all together. Fold in rose petals. Pour batter into the pan. Lightly sprinkle extra nuts and sugar on top. Bake at suggested temperature on the mix until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean of wet batter. Set on a wire rack to cool.
Prepare sugar glaze by blending powdered sugar, rose water, water and food coloring together. When cake has cooled, turn cake out onto the cake plate of choice. Drape the top or fill the well with the sugar glaze. Dust with extra nuts and rose petals. Serves 8 to 10.
Photographed: Nordic Ware Charlotte Pan.
Pistachio Cake Log ©Ellen Easton
INGREDIENTS: 1 Box Duncan Hines Angel Food Cake Mix|1 1/3 Cup Water| 1 Cup Ground Pistachio Shortbread Cookies or Ground Pistachio Nuts| LorAnn Pistachio Oil|1 Pint Whipping Cream|1 Tablespoon Pistachio Cream(* see recipe below)| Powdered Sugar for dusting. 1 Tea Towel| 1 Half Sheel Rimmed Jelly Roll Pan
PREPARATION: Pre heat oven to 350 degrees F. Prep Dry pan with a sprinkling of ground pistachio. In an electric mixer place Angel Food Cake mix water, pistachio oil and blend together. Pour into the prepared pan. Sprinkle more ground pistachios. Place foil on the middle rack of the oven. Set onto the foil. Bake approximately 30 minutes until golden and crusty. An inserted toothpick will come out clean when done. Turn upside down onto a tea towel dusted with powdered sugar. While cooling prepare whipped cream with a few drops of pistachio oil and a teaspoon of granulated sugar. Using a sharp knife cut sides of cake to loosen from the pan and gently ease out of the pan onto the tea towel. Rolled from one end to the other and tuck the towel to secure the log. Place into the refrigerator to set 15 minutes. Remove and roll out on the tea towel. With a spatula spread the whipped cream. Blend the pistachio cream into the whipped cream. Re roll and wrap in cellophane. Place into the refrigerator to set one hour. When ready to serve remove wrap and set onto a serving plate. Cut into slices. Serves 6 to 8.
LorAnn Pistachio Oil 1 OZ available on AMAZON PRIME
Raw, shelled Pistachio nuts available at OHNUTS.com
Pistachio Crème ©Ellen Easton
INGREDIENTS: 2 cups raw, shelled pistachios|⅛ teaspoon table salt or fine sea salt| 1 and 1/3 cup powdered sugar |2-4 Tablespoons of sunflower, canola or vegetable oil| PREPARATION: Place the pistachios in the bottom of a food processor. Pulse continually, scraping the sides down until the nuts are evenly blended into coarse crumbs. Add the sugar, salt, and 2 Tablespoons of oil until the texture becomes creamy and smooth. Add one more Tablespoon of oil and continue to blend together. If not smooth enough, add additional oil, one teaspoon at a time, until it becomes a smoother texture. Yield approximately 1.5 cups of pistachio cream. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator up to one week. Recipe can be doubled as needed. Note~ May be used in baking, icing a cake, as a topping for fruits, toast, scones or ice cream.
©Ellen Easton
Ellen Easton, author of Afternoon Tea~Tips, Terms and Traditions(RED WAGON PRESS), an afternoon tea authority, lifestyle and etiquette industry leader, keynote speaker and product spokesperson, is a hospitality, design, and retail consultant whose clients have included the Waldorf=Astoria, the Plaza and Bergdorf Goodman. Easton’s family traces their tea roots to the early 1800s, when ancestors first introduced tea plants from India and China to the Colony of Ceylon, thus building one of the largest and best cultivated teas estates on the island.
