Pistachio-Citrus Pound Cake

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Adapted slightly from Bon Appétit (April 2012)

2 cups all-purpose flour
1 ½ tsp. kosher salt
1 tsp. baking powder
2 sticks unsalted butter, at room temperature
2 cups sugar
5 large eggs
2 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice
2 Tbsp. fresh orange juice
2 tsp. finely grated orange zest
1 tsp. finely grated lime zest
1 cup shelled, unsalted pistachios, coarsely chopped

Position a rack in the middle of the oven, and preheat the oven to 325°F. Lightly butter a 9”x5” loaf pan, or grease it with cooking spray. Cut a rectangle of parchment paper to line the bottom and the two long sides of the pan, leaving a little overhang. Press the parchment paper into the dish, and grease it lightly, too.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, and baking powder. Using an electric mixer, beat the butter on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add the sugar, and beat until well incorporated, 1 to 2 minutes more. Add the eggs one at a time, beating to blend between additions. Add the juices and the zests, and beat until well combined. (Don’t worry if the batter looks curdled.) Add the flour mixture, reduce the speed to low, and beat until just incorporated. Add ¾ cup of the pistachios, and fold in gently. Pour the batter into the prepared pan, smoothing the top. Sprinkle the remaining ¼ cup pistachios over the top.

Bake the cake, rotating it halfway through, until a tester inserted into the center comes out clean, about 1 ½ hours. Transfer it to a wire rack, and let it cool completely in the pan. Run a sharp knife along the short ends of the pan to loosen the cake; then pull up on the parchment paper to lift the cake out of the pan.

Note: The flavor of this cake is best on the day after it’s made.

Yield: 8 to 12 servings, depending on how thickly you slice it.

strawberry basil scones

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2 ½ cups flour (I used a GF blend)
2 tbsp turbinado sugar
1 
tbsp baking powder
¼ 
tsp salt
½ cup cold coconut oil or butter, cut into chunks
1 + cup chopped fresh strawberries
2
 tbsp minced basil
½ cup full fat coconut milk
2 
eggs

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. In a large bowl stir together the dry ingredients. Scoop out or cut in butter or coconut oil. Stir in minced basil and hulled, and quartered strawberries. In a medium bowl stir together eggs and the milk. (Cream, half and half, or regular milk would work here too.) Add egg mixture to flour mixture in one pour. Stir together until completely moistened, using your hands when necessary.

Turn out onto a parchment covered baking sheet. Press into a 1” thick circle. Cut into 8 wedges. Brush with extra milk and sprinkle with sugar. If you use butter instead of coconut oil, place baking sheet with cut wedges in the freezer for up to 20 minutes before baking. It will make them magically fluffier and more scone-y. Bake for 15-20 minutes, depending. Finish with a good dollop of local honey or clotted cream.

blueberry cake

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3/4 cup plus 3 tablespoons sugar, divided

1/2 cup unsalted butter

1 cup unbleached flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/8 teaspoon salt

2 eggs

fresh blueberries

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

whipped cream, for serving

Preheat oven to 350*. In bowl at medium speed, beat 3/4 cup sugar with butter until light and fluffy. Reduce speed to low, beat in flour, baking powder, and salt. Beat in eggs, one at a time. Increase speed to medium, beat for 1 minute. Spoon batter into 9 inch or 10 inch tart or spring form pan. Arrange blueberries (you can use any fruit you like) on top of batter. Combine cinnamon and remaining sugar, sprinkle over cake. Bake for 30 minutes to 60 minutes (depending on the fruit you use, plums and apples will take longer) until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.