PISTACHIO & ROSE WATER SEMOLINA CAKE

 

This is one of these cakes that I am going to make over and over again, especially for especial occasions. It is just fabulous! Both the flavours and the look are very elegant and do not disappoint. It is super moist and when served with the rosewater cream, your palate sings..... What can I say, just amazing!

INGREDIENTS
3 cardamom pods, bruised, seeds reserved, pods discarded
1 cup (150g) pistachios, plus extra chopped pistachios to serve
1 cup (100g) almond meal
170g fine semolina
1 1/4 tsp baking powder
300g unsalted butter, chopped, softened
1 1/2 cups (330g) caster sugar
4 eggs, lightly beaten
Finely grated zest of 1 lemon, plus 1 tbsp lemon juice
2 tbsp rosewater
1/2 tsp vanilla extract

ROSEWATER CREAM
200g Greek yoghurt
200g creme fraiche
1 tbsp icing sugar, sifted
1 tbsp rosewater
SYRUP
100ml lemon juice
1/3 cup (80ml) rosewater
1/2 cup (110g) caster sugar

METHOD

Preheat oven to 180°C. Grease a baking tray and line with baking paper. Grease a 23cm springform cake pan and line with baking paper.

To make the cake, place cardamom seeds and pistachios in a food processor and whiz until pistachios are finely ground. Transfer pistachio mixture to a bowl and add almond meal, semolina, baking powder and 1/4 tsp fine salt. Stir to combine.

Place butter and sugar in a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment and beat until well combined (be careful not to overwork – you don’t want a lot of air in the mixture). With the motor running, slowly add egg, beating well. Fold through the pistachio mixture, then fold through lemon zest and juice, rosewater and vanilla until just combined. 

Spread batter into prepared pan and use a palette knife to smooth the surface. 

Bake for 1 hour or until a skewer inserted in the centre of the cake comes out clean but a little oily.

Meanwhile, for the rosewater cream, place all ingredients in a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment and whisk to medium peaks. Cover and chill until needed.

For the syrup, in the final 10 minutes of cake cooking, place all ingredients in a small saucepan over medium heat. Bring to the boil and stir until sugar dissolves. Remove from heat. As soon as the cake comes out of the oven, drizzle with hot syrup (it looks like a lot of syrup; the hot cake will absorb it). Sprinkle with extra pistachios and set cake aside in the pan to cool to room temperature.

Remove cake from the pan and scatter with rose petals. 

Serve with rosewater cream.

Serves 12