Best Pistachio Fennel Cake Wcandied Fennel Recipes

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FENNEL UPSIDE-DOWN CAKE



Fennel Upside-Down Cake image

Provided by Giada De Laurentiis

Categories     dessert

Time 1h30m

Yield 6 to 8 servings

Number Of Ingredients 17

1/2 cup sugar
2 small or 1 large bulbs fennel, halved and sliced into 1/8-inch half moons
1/8 teaspoon kosher salt
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 cup flour
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon fine salt
1/2 cup milk, room temperature
2 eggs, room temperature
2/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus 1 teaspoon for greasing pan
1 teaspoon lemon zest
1/4 teaspoon fennel pollen or ground fennel seed
1/3 cup seedless raspberry jam
1 tablespoon lemon juice.
Fennel fronds, for garnish

Steps:

  • Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease an 8-inch cake pan with 1 teaspoon olive oil.
  • For the fennel: In a medium saucepan over medium heat, dissolve the sugar in 3/4 cup water, stirring occasionally with a wooden spoon. Add the fennel, salt and lemon juice, and bring to a simmer. Reduce the heat to low and cook until the liquid is reduced by three-quarters, about 15 minutes. Spread the candied fennel evenly over the bottom of the prepared cake pan. Set aside to cool slightly.
  • For the cake: Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt. In a separate bowl, whisk together the milk, eggs, olive oil, lemon zest and fennel pollen. Add the dry ingredients to the wet and whisk until just combined. Pour the batter evenly over the candied fennel. Place in the preheated oven and bake until a toothpick inserted in the middle of the cake comes out clean, 30 minutes. Cool for 10 minutes in the pan, then invert the cake onto a plate to cool completely.
  • For the sauce: In a small bowl, whisk together the raspberry jam, lemon juice and 2 tablespoons warm water.
  • Sprinkle the cake with a few picked fennel fronds. Slice into wedges and serve with a spoonful of the sauce.

CANDIED-FENNEL-TOPPED LEMON CAKE



Candied-Fennel-Topped Lemon Cake image

Provided by Maggie Ruggiero

Categories     Cake     Dessert     Easter     Mother's Day     Lemon     Fennel     Butter     Buttermilk     Gourmet     Kidney Friendly     Vegetarian     Pescatarian     Peanut Free     Tree Nut Free     Soy Free     Kosher

Yield Makes 8 servings

Number Of Ingredients 18

For candied fennel:
1 small fennel bulb
3/4 cup sugar
3/4 cup water
3 (3-inch) strips lemon zest, thinly sliced
1 teaspoon fennel seeds
For cake:
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 stick unsalted butter, softened
3/4 cup sugar
2 large eggs
1 1/2 teaspoons grated lemon zest
3/4 cup well-shaken buttermilk
Equipment: a 9-by 2-inch round cake pan; an adjustable-blade slicer
Accompaniment: lightly sweetened whipped cream

Steps:

  • Prepare cake pan:
  • Lightly oil pan and line bottom and side with a large round of wax paper, pleating sides and trimming to fit. Lightly oil paper. Line side with a 2-inch-wide strip of wax paper long enough to wrap around inside of pan to cover pleats, then lightly oil.
  • Make candied fennel:
  • Cut fennel bulb lengthwise with slicer into enough 1/4-inch-thick slices (about 9) to cover bottom of cake pan.
  • Cover fennel with cold water in a medium saucepan and bring to a boil. Drain fennel and set aside. Add sugar, water (3/4 cup), zest, and fennel seeds to saucepan and bring to a simmer, stirring until sugar has dissolved. Add fennel slices and very gently simmer until tender and translucent and liquid is syrupy, about 40 minutes. Lift fennel slices out with a fork and arrange decoratively in bottom of cake pan. If you have more than 1/3 cup syrup, boil to reduce; if less, add water. Cool syrup slightly, then pour (through a fine-mesh sieve if desired) over fennel.
  • Make cake:
  • Preheat oven to 350°F with rack in middle.
  • Whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Beat together butter and sugar in a large bowl with an electric mixer at high speed until light and fluffy. Add eggs 1 at a time, beating well after each addition, then beat in zest.
  • At low speed, mix in flour mixture in 3 batches, alternating with buttermilk, beginning and ending with flour mixture, and mixing until just combined. Gently spoon batter over topping, spreading evenly.
  • Bake until cake is golden-brown and a wooden pick inserted into center of cake comes out clean, 25 to 30 minutes. Cool cake in pan 15 minutes, then invert onto a plate and continue to cool. Serve warm or at room temperature.

BAKED APPLES WITH CANDIED FENNEL AND PISTACHIOS



Baked Apples with Candied Fennel and Pistachios image

In our [Egg Salad with Lemon and Fennel](/recipes/food/views/350908) , fennel contributes juicy crunch and a nice hit of bright flavor. Here, the leftover fennel goes in a decidedly different direction: Candied in a sugar syrup, it has a softer snap and becomes more mellow. Along with pistachios, golden raisins, and fennel seeds, it makes a sophisticated filling for baked Gala apples. Many baked-apple recipes are too homey for company, but this version, with its spectrum of greens and golds, would be the highlight of any dinner party menu.

Provided by Maggie Ruggiero

Yield Makes 4 servings

Number Of Ingredients 10

1/2 fennel bulb, cut into 1/4-inch pieces
3/4 cup sugar
3/4 cup water
3 (3-inch-long) strips lemon zest
1 teaspoon fennel seeds
4 Gala apples
1/3 cup shelled pistachios, coarsely chopped
3 tablespoons golden raisins
2 to 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice, divided
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into pieces

Steps:

  • Preheat oven to 350°F with rack in middle.
  • Cover fennel with cold water in a medium saucepan and bring to a boil, then drain. Return fennel to saucepan and stir in sugar, water (3/4 cup), zest, and fennel seeds. Gently simmer, uncovered, until fennel is tender and translucent and liquid is syrupy, about 45 minutes. Cool fennel slightly in syrup.
  • Core apples from top using a melon baller, leaving about 1 inch intact at base. Arrange apples in a baking dish just large enough to hold them.
  • Transfer fennel with a slotted spoon to a bowl (reserve syrup and zest) and add pistachios and raisins. Finely chop zest and stir into fennel mixture. Fill apples with some of mixture, reserving remainder.
  • Stir 1 tablespoon lemon juice into reserved fennel syrup and pour over apples. Add butter to baking dish and bake apples, covered with foil, 25 minutes. Uncover and bake, basting occasionally, until tender, about 25 minutes more.
  • Stir remaining fennel mixture and lemon juice to taste into syrup in dish. Serve over apples.

CANDIED PISTACHIOS



Candied Pistachios image

These elegant nuts are a great accent to summer fruits. If you can find the longer, thinner pistachios from Sicily, use them for this recipe-or any time you're eating pistachios. They have the best flavor.

Yield makes about 1 1/2 cups

Number Of Ingredients 6

9 ounces (250g) shelled unsalted pistachios
2 tablespoons (16g) confectioners' sugar
3 tablespoons (45g) water
5 tablespoons (62g) granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon (3.5g) light corn syrup
1/2 teaspoon (2g) coarse salt

Steps:

  • Heat the oven to 350°F or 325°F on convection.
  • Spread the pistachios out on a rimmed baking sheet and bake until the nuts are hot but not browned or toasted, about 7 minutes.
  • Dump the nuts into a bowl and toss with the confectioners' sugar.
  • Line a baking sheet with a Silpat or parchment.
  • Meanwhile, put the water, granulated sugar, and corn syrup in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat and cook to 285°F. Add the nuts and salt and cook, stirring constantly, until the sugar turns white. Scrape out onto the Silpat. Working fast, use a couple of forks to separate the nuts while the sugar is still hot.
  • Let cool completely and store in an airtight container for up to 1 week.

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