Start your engines, pistachio-lovers, this post is for you! I’m launching, in collaboration with American Pistachios Growers, an informal contest to discover the best pistachio recipes the web has to offer. If your recipe is chosen, you will win a bulk supply of pistachios and a super-special surprise (you’ll like it, I promise).
Let’s start with dessert: you have two weeks from today to post your best, tastiest and most creative sweet recipes using pistachios. Post your recipes (with a picture!) before May 1st on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram with the hashtags #fuoridiguscio and #pistachiopower.
Not into sweets? Don’t worry, we’ll do savory recipes next. Those details are coming soon.
I’ll reveal the winners and their prizes on May 15th, so stay tuned!
“Angelfood” by Laurel Evans for American Pistachios from Emilio Scoti on Vimeo.
Angel Food Cake with Lime and Pistachios
For the cake
- 2/3 cup (85 g) cake flour
- 1 1/2 cups (300 g) granulated sugar
- 12 egg whites, at room temperature
- 1 teaspoon cream of tartar
- salt
- 1 1/2 teaspoons lime juice
- 2 teaspoons grated lime zest
For the decoration
- 1/2 cup unsalted raw pistachios (about 2 ounces, 60 g), finely chopped in processor
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 4 tablespoons fresh lime juice, divided
- 1/2 cup powdered sugar
8-10 servings
I don’t have a special angel-food cake pan, so I use a normal bundt pan. The cake doesn’t come out quite as tall and striking as it would if baked in the correct pan, but it is delicious nonetheless.
For the cake:
Preheat oven to 325° F (160° C) and place rack in center of oven. Have ready a 10 inch (25 cm) two piece angel food cake or springform bundt pan, but do not grease the pan.
Sift together the flour and half of sugar, set aside.
With a mixer, beat egg whites on medium-high until foamy, about 1 minute. Add cream of tartar and a pinch of salt; beat until soft peaks form. Continue to beat, gradually adding sugar; beat until stiff peaks form, about 2 minutes. Gradually beat in the remaining granulated sugar, a tablespoon at a time, until glossy stiff peaks form. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed. Add the lime juice and zest.
Sift the flour mixture over the egg whites (about one quarter of the flour mixture at a time) and gently but quickly fold (do not stir) the flour into the egg whites using a large whisk or rubber spatula. (Do not to over mix the batter or it will deflate.)
Gently spoon batter into an ungreased angel food cake pan with a removable bottom; smooth top. Cut a knife or small spatula through batter to release air bubbles. The cake is done when a wooden skewer inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean and the cake springs back when gently pressed, 50-60 minutes. Invert pan; let cool in pan, 1 hour. Run a knife around the inside of the pan and around the tube to release cake, and unmold. Use knife to release cake from bottom of pan, and remove.
Immediately upon removing from the oven invert the pan and suspend the pan by placing the inner tube on the top of a wine bottle or flat topped glass. Allow the cake to cool upside down for about 1 1/2 hours.
When completely cool, run a knife around the sides of the pan and then remove the cake from the pan. Next, run a metal spatula or knife along the bottom and center core of the pan and remove. Place on your serving plate.
For the decoration:
Stir together sugar and 3 tablespoons lime juice in small saucepan over medium heat; stirring continuously until sugar dissolves. Brush syrup all over top and sides of cake. Quickly press pistachios firmly onto top and sides of cake.
Stir powdered sugar with remaining 1 tablespoon lime juice in small bowl until smooth. Drizzle glaze over top of cake. Let stand until glaze sets, about 10 minutes, before serving.
