Ottolenghi's Blueberry, Almond and Lemon Cake

There are infinite cake recipes and infinite GOOD cake recipes. Then there are GREAT cake recipes. This one, from Yotam Ottolenghi, is one of those. It may not be the biggest cake out there — it doesn’t serve a ton of people. But it’s one you’ll want to make again and again. It has a really tender and moist texture, a lively lemon flavor and blueberries too. I love this cake so much I’ll be making this without the fruit when blueberry season is long gone. Many of the blueberries will sink to the bottom (sorry, even if you coat them first in flour, which I did) but if you follow the directions and reserve some to place on the top after the cake’s been baking for 15 minutes, they won’t sink. Scout’s honor.

Make sure to leave the cake in the oven for the entire time mentioned in the recipe to allow it to rise properly and not sink in the middle. Just cover with a tented piece of aluminum foil if it starts to get too browned. Let it cool and drizzle with a lemon glaze. You’ll find it hard to stop eating slice after slice, I promise

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Blueberry, Almond and Lemon Cake

Author: Ciao Chow Linda via Yotam Ottolenghi

printable recipe here

Ingredients

• ½ cup (1 stick) plus 3 tablespoons/150 grams unsalted butter, at room temperature, plus extra for greasing the pan
• 1 scant cup/190 grams granulated or superfine sugar (caster sugar)
• 1 teaspoon lemon zest, plus 1 tablespoon lemon juice (or more juice as needed)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract (vanilla essence)
• 3 large eggs, beaten
• ⅔ cup/90 grams all-purpose flour (plain flour), sifted
• 1 ¼ teaspoons baking powder
• ⅛ teaspoon salt
• 1 cup/110 grams almond flour (ground almonds)
• 1 ½ cups/200 grams fresh blueberries
• ⅔ cup/70 grams confectioners’ sugar (icing sugar)

Instructions

1. Heat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit/200 degrees Celsius.
2. Grease a 9- or 8-inch/21-centimeter loaf pan with butter, line it with a parchment paper sling and butter the paper. (I didn’t use the parchment paper but just buttered and floured the pan.)
3. Set the pan aside.
4. Place butter, sugar, lemon zest and vanilla extract in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment.
5. Beat on high speed for 3 to 4 minutes, until light, then lower speed to medium.
6. Add eggs in three additions, scraping down the sides of the bowl a few times as necessary.
7. The mix may split a little but don’t worry: It’ll come back together once you add the dry ingredients.
8. In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, salt and almond flour.
9. With the stand mixer on low, add the dry ingredients in three additions, mixing just until no white specks remain.
10. Fold in about 3/4 of the blueberries by hand, then scoop batter into the prepared loaf pan.
11. Bake for 15 minutes, then sprinkle the remaining blueberries over the top of the cake.
12. Return to the oven for another 15 to 20 minutes, until cake is golden brown but still uncooked.
13. Cover loosely with foil and continue to cook for another 25 to 30 minutes (less for a 9-inch pan, more for an 8-inch pan), or until risen and cooked, and a knife inserted into the middle of the cake comes out clean.
14. Remove from oven and set aside in its pan to cool for 10 minutes before removing cake from pan and placing on a wire rack to cool completely.
15. When cake is cool, make the icing: Add lemon juice and icing sugar to a bowl and whisk together until smooth, adding a bit more juice if necessary, just until the icing moves when you tilt the bowl. Pour over the cake and gently spread out.
16. The blueberries on the top of the cake may bleed into the icing a little, but this will add to the look. Let icing set (about 30 minutes), slice and serve.

3.5.3251

 

 

 

Blueberry Tart

We’re in full blueberry season here in New Jersey and one of the most delicious ways to highlight this fruit is to give it a starring role in a tart. This one raises the bar even higher with an oatmeal crumb topping. I used an 8″ tart pan, since it was just for the two of us. But if you want to bake it in a standard 9″ tart pan, just increase the amounts as I’ve written in the recipe. Don’t forget to add the lemon juice and lemon zest. Without it, the blueberries just don’t have that “zing” that the citrus adds.You’ll get four servings from this small tart pan and I guarantee you it won’t last long.

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Blueberry Tart

Author: Ciao Chow Linda

printable recipe here

Ingredients

• FOR THE PASTRY (This makes enough for two 9″ tart shells. I place the extra one in the freezer):
• 2½ cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
• ½ cup granulated sugar
• Finely grated zest of 1 small lemon
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• ⅛ teaspoon fine salt
• ½ cup cold unsalted butter, cut into dice
• 2 large eggs
• FOR THE FILLING – amounts are for an 8″ tart. Measurements for a 9″ tart are in parentheses:
• 3 cups blueberries (4 cups)
• 1/4 cup white sugar (1/4 cup plus 3 tablespoons)
• 3 tablespoons cornstarch or flour (1/4 cup)
• grated zest of a lemon
• juice of half a lemon
• FOR THE TOPPING: amounts are for an 8″ tart. Measurements for a 9″ tart are in parentheses:
• 1/2 cups old-fashioned oats (3/4 cup)
• 1/3 cup brown sugar (1/2 cup)
• 1/4 cup flour (1/3 cup)
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon (3/4 tsp.)
• 4 tablespoons butter (6 tablespoons)

Instructions

1. In a food processor, combine the flour, granulated sugar, lemon zest, baking powder, and salt and pulse to mix.
2. Add the butter and pulse until the mixture is crumbly.
3. Add the eggs and process just until the dough comes together.
4. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface, divide it in half, and pat it into two disks.
5. Wrap one half in plastic wrap and freeze for another use.
6. Wrap the second piece and refrigerate it for 1 hour.
7. Remove the pastry disk from the refrigerator.
8. On a lightly floured surface, roll the disk into a 12-inch circle.
9. Carefully transfer the dough to a 10-inch round tart pan with a removable bottom.
10. Gently press the dough into the bottom and up the sides of the pan.
11. Trim the overhang.
12. Refrigerate for 1 hour (or up to overnight).
13. Preheat the oven to 475° F.
14. Remove the tart shell from the refrigerator.
15. Prick the bottom of the crust with a fork.
16. Bake until the edges are just beginning to turn golden, about 10 minutes.
17. Transfer to a wire rack and let cool for 10 minutes. Leave the oven on but reduce the temperature to 350 degrees.
18. Mix the blueberries with the lemon zest, sugar, flour and lemon juice.
19. In a separate bowl, mix the oatmeal with the flour, brown sugar, cinnamon and butter.
20. Using a pastry cutter or your fingers, blend everything together until it’s crumbly.
21. Gelntly place the blueberries into the pastry shell and top with the crumb mixture.
22. Bake at 350 degrees for 30-35 minutes.

3.5.3251

 

 

Codfish and Corn

It’s only in summer when this perfect combination comes together in my part of the world. Fresh, sweet New Jersey corn and codfish caught off our coast are meant to snuggle next to each other when the warm weather finally arrives. You can cook everything in one pot and have it ready to eat in a half hour. I started with this piece of codfish, a little more than 1 pound. If you have a piece this long, cut it in two or three pieces, otherwise it will flake apart after it cooks, when you try to lift it from the pan in one large section.

Start by seasoning the pieces with salt and pepper, then give them a light dusting with flour. Place some olive oil and butter in a saucepan, place the fish into the pan and sear at high heat, but only on one side. You’ll finish the cooking after you’ve put the rest of the ingredients in the pan.

Remove the seared pieces and flip over onto a platter. As you can see, they’re still partly raw inside.

Scrape the corn from the cobs. I used two ears of corn, but they were so sweet, we were wishing we had one or two more to join the party. Next time.

Place more butter into the pan and add the red pepper and shallots to the pan, stirring for a minute or two. Add the corn and seasonings, stirring for another minute, then push the corn to the side and make room for the fish, adding the pieces of cod in the center of the pan. Cover the pan with a lid and simmer on a low heat for another 5 -8 minutes, depending on the thickness of the fish. Sprinkle it with more minced parsley and serve.

Click here to connect with me on Instagram and find out what Ciao Chow Linda is up to in the kitchen (and other places too) each day.

Codfish and Corn

Author: Ciao Chow Linda

printable recipe here

Ingredients

• 1 lb – 1 1/4 lb. codfish
• salt, pepper to season
• flour to lightly dust the fish
• 2 or 3 ears of fresh corn
• 1/2 cup diced red pepper
• 1/4 shallot, minced
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 3 more tablespoons butter
• minced parsley

Instructions

1. Remove the corn from the cobs and set aside.
2. Season the fish with salt and pepper, then lightly dust with flour.
3. Place the olive oil and 1 tablespoon butter in a large skillet and bring to high heat.
4. Gently place the fish pieces into the pan and sear until browned on one side.
5. Remove the fish from the pan, reserving them on a platter with the seared side facing up.
6. Add the red pepper and shallot to the pan and cook for one minute.
7. Add another tablespoon of butter to the pan, along with the corn, the salt and pepper and minced parsley.
8. Stir for one minute, then push the vegetables to the edges of the pan.
9. Add the remaining butter to the center space of the pan, then place the fish in the center, with the seared side up.
10. Turn the heat to low-medium and place a lid on top.
11. Continue cooking for five to eight minutes, depending on the thickness of the fish.

3.5.3251