GLUTEN-FREE LITTLE PISTACHIO AND ROSEWATER CAKES
Sometimes a slice from a whole cake is just too big. Sometimes! So when something smaller is required here is a recipe for a perfectly sized sweet treat. Whether made in a madeleine tin or mini-muffin moulds they’ll hit the right mark.
And while they may be small these cakes do not compromise on flavour or deliciousness. Pistachio and rosewater are brilliant partners and just one of these petite confections will immediately transport you to the Middle East. Have a glass of scalding mint tea at the ready and relish the moment.
Caren
LITTLE PISTACHIO AND ROSEWATER CAKES
Makes 12 little cakes
15 gm unsalted butter, melted and cooled, for greasing the tin/moulds
100 gm ground raw pistachios
50 gm ground almonds
100 gm caster sugar
1 teaspoon lemon zest
3 teaspoons rosewater, or more/less to taste
2 teaspoons water
1 egg
1 egg yolk
Icing sugar or rosewater glaze to finish, optional
Preheat oven to 180 C. Liberally grease a 12 mould madeleine tin with the melted butter. If you don’t have a madeleine tin then use similar sized moulds (about 30ml capacity) such as mini-muffin tins.
Combine the ground nuts and sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer. In a small bowl beat together the lemon zest, rosewater, water and eggs until just combined.
Add to the dry ingredients and mix until just combined.
Divide the mixture between the moulds. Smooth the surfaces.
Bake for 16 -18 minutes or until the tops are lightly coloured and firm to the touch. Rest for a few minutes out of the oven then gently lift the cakes out of the moulds onto a rack.
When completely cool either dust with icing sugar or ice with rosewater glaze.
ROSEWATER GLAZE
90 gm icing sugar, sifted
1 tablespoon water
½ -1 teaspoon rosewater
Red or pink natural food colour, optional
Combine the icing sugar, water and rosewater and mix well until smooth. If using, blend in drops of food colour, one drop at a time, until the desired shade is reached.
Dip one side of the little cakes into the glaze and set on a rack to dry. The glaze is quite thin so if you want a thicker icing then repeat the dipping process.
TIPS:
If you cannot source ground pistachios then grind unsalted, raw and shelled pistachios in a spice grinder.