HERE WE GO GATHERING NUTS IN.... JULY?

I know it doesn't have quite the same ring to it but when life hands you a 1kg bag of pistachio nuts it's a chance to do some serious baking, something I've been slacking off at recently, shame on my baking soul. I'm sure I'll find a way of squeezing them into as many recipes as possible and I'll just keep going until I go nuts, or run out of nuts, whichever comes first. If you have any ideas on how I can spend my pistachio bounty please let me know.

These little cakes are so unapologetically dainty that I feel I owe you a profound apology. Just a bare mouthful each, the moulds I baked them in leave a little hollow in the top just perfect for a little pool of honey. Described as friands in the magazine I found the recipe in, but I'm not sure they really qualify. As I understand it friands are not just an oval muffin, but traditionally made with ground almonds, icing sugar and egg whites. Now of course pistachios would make an excellent substitute for the almonds (and I intend to try) but this recipe uses whole eggs, yoghurt and caster sugar. I've decided to dub them baby-cakes.

The honey I used was an almost crystal clear acacia honey that came with it's own little honey dipper. I think a stronger honey would almost work better, as the flavour was so subtle it nearly disappeared (all the more reason to keep drizzling it on top) but, both cakes and honey were such a hit with my little one I'll keep going until the jar is empty. Which shouldn't take too long as every time I turned around that little face got stickier and the pile of baby-cakes ever smaller. 

I also made some mommy sized cakes as the, I must confess a complete pain to fill, mini-moulds only held a a couple of tablespoons of batter. Don't expect the baby cakes to take on as much colour as the mommy cake, they scarcely spend a few deep breaths in the oven, both of them however taste just right.

HONEY, PISTACHIO AND YOGHURT CAKES

• 115g butter
• 130g caster sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 250g vanilla yoghurt
• 2 tbls runny honey (choose your own favourite)
• 60g pistachio nuts, ground
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 280g self-raising flour
• 1/2 tsp bicarb of soda
• 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
• grated zest of half an orange (optional)
• few drops of almond extract
• Icing sugar and extra pistachio nuts to finish

1. Preheat the oven to 180 C.
2. Combine the butter and sugar in a bowl until light and fluffy.
3. Add the eggs, yoghurt, honey, ground pistachio's, orange zest and vanilla extract. Continue beating. Add the flour, baking soda and baking powder. Beat until well combined.
4. Grease the moulds (muffin or friand) if using silicone there is no need to grease. Spoon the batter into each hole. Bake in the oven for 20-25 minutes, or until an inserted skewer comes out clean.
5. Serve with ice-cream, or as an indulgent breakfast as I did with vanilla yoghurt and an apricot compote the recipe for which you can find here.

Makes 24 depending on size of your moulds. 

Comments

[Meeta]

I am going nuts for these cakes. Pistachios are my fave nuts! i just gotta make these!!

[Siobhan]

i tasted these... (nyah nyah nyah nyah...) and they were yummy! :-)

[MyKitchenInHalfCups]

Laura
My tummy is jumping. So yummy looking . . .
I've been looking at these molds for months now. I must find a way to get them into my kitchen soon.

[Abulafia]

A kilo of pistachios. Somebody must love you.

It all looks superb.

[Amy]

Wow that's a lot of pistachios! They're so great to snack on and bake with. :) The little cakes are adorable!

[Cheryl]

Oh wow, aren't they the little cutest things ever. I love pistachios, so if you have any of that bag left, I will be right over.

[kellypea]

Lovely post, excellent photography, and an amazing recipe. It just so happens that I have yogurt and pistachios...Dare I?

[brilynn]

Those are adorable! I wanted to make some comment about being nuts for these cakes, but then I stopped myself... or did I?...