butter, sugar, flowers

Macadamia Cake: A Little Taste of Hawaii

I’ve never been to Hawaii, but I feel lucky to have had a few little tastes of it. My dad went there for the first time a few years ago and returned with vivid stories of roadside coffee sellers, mango-filled trees, and the spirit of relaxation lingering in the island air. When he returned to Hawaii last November, he came back to California with a suitcase full of generous holiday gifts, including an array of pure macadamia oil just for me.

The oil collection came with four varieties: chili infused, garlic infused, herb infused and plain. The latter, believe it or not, was the one that intrigued me the most. While the other three were tasty and unusual, they were no match for the plain oil’s luring promise of becoming a dessert ingredient. Rather predictably, when I opened the bottle and inhaled its naturally buttery aroma, all I could think of was CAKE. Here is what I created:

Macadamia cake (serves 10-12)

Scant 1.5 cups whole macadamia nuts
1 cup pure macadamia oil
1.25 cup sugar
2 eggs
Scant 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1.5 cup flour
¾ teaspoon salt (omit if using salted macadamias)
5 fl. ounces buttermilk
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon white vinegar or apple cider vinegar

Preheat oven to 350 F. Toast macadamias on a cookie sheet for 7-10 minutes, until they are fragrant and start to become golden brown.Remove nuts from oven; let cool to warm room temperature. Meanwhile grease sides and bottom of an 8” round cake pan, then line bottom of pan with parchment and lightly grease the parchment. Put a ring of the toasted whole macadamias around the inner edge of the pan. (The ring of whole nuts is not essential, and you will use about ½ cup fewer macadamias if you skip it. However, this step creates a toothsome surprise at the end of each cake slice. Several of my taste-testers, a.k.a. co-workers, commented that they were pleased to find their very own whole macadamia in their last bite of cake!) Coarsely chop remaining macadamias to make ¾ cup crushed nuts; set aside.

Make the batter. (Be sure to stop the mixer and scrape down the sides of the bowl with a spatula periodically during this step.) Mix oil, eggs, sugar, and vanilla at medium speed for 3-4 minutes. Turn off mixer and sift flour (and salt, if using unsalted nuts) over the oil mixture, then gently mix until incorporated. With mixer on low, stream in the buttermilk. In a separate cup, quickly whisk together the baking soda and vinegar, then add to batter with mixer on low. Fold in the crushed nuts until just incorporated. Pour batter into center of cake pan, attempting not to move the ring of whole nuts. Bake for 50-60 minutes, until a toothpick or wooden skewer inserted in center comes out clean. The edges of the cake will be browned and toasty.

Remove cake from oven and let it cool in pan for about 45 minutes, then remove and place on a plate or wire rack. (Leaving it in the pan too long can cause condensation at the bottom of the cake; taking it out too soon can lead to breakage). If desired, dust or decorate with powdered sugar once cake is completely cool. Store cake at room temperature for up to 3 days; do not refrigerate.

Nutty, decadent and very moist, this macadamia cake pairs quite well with a good cup of coffee (like, say, Kona?). A grass skirt, a fresh flower lei, and some background ukulele music are all optional.

Maybe next time… The uncommon, rich flavor of macadamias is wonderful on its own, and I would hate to overpower it with anything too strong, but welcome additions to the recipe might be a pinch of ground cloves or cardamom, a scoop of shredded coconut, or maybe a drizzle of maple syrup atop a slice. I can also imagine it baked in a square pan and cut into bars; if you do so, be sure to adjust the baking time accordingly.

Butter, Sugar, Flowers: Nasturtium Cookies

When my husband and I first moved to the bay area, I fell in love with the little orange flowers readily decorating our new backyard. They seemed so delicate but grew so profusely. I welcomed their vibrant bursts of color and their leaves that looked like floating lily pads. I was soon to notice these flowers all over our neighborhood, whether spilling over a fence or taking over a neighbor’s garden. It turns out that nasturtiums, as they’re called, are practically ubiquitous in our area; they grow like weeds, and are even considered weeds by some. But as far as I’m concerned, their commonality doesn’t take away any charm. And discovering that nasturtiums are edible gave me even more adoration for them.

When I’ve asked around about eating nasturtiums, I’ve been repeatedly told about their peppery flavor, and how they make a nice garnish or salad addition. While undeniable, these observations left my inner baker unsatisfied. I found myself asking, Why not highlight their spiciness with a spicy dough? Why not blend their vivid color into a complementary shade of jam? It wasn’t long before I went nasturtium-picking, and before I knew it, transformed them into a delectable sweet treat.

Nasturtium Fingerprint Cookies [Makes about 40 small cookies]

For the filling:

10 Nasturtium flowers
½ cup apricot preserves

For the dough:

1 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
Scant ½ cup granulated sugar
2 cups flour
½ teaspoon ground white pepper, rounded
½ teaspoon salt (omit if using salted butter)
5 Nasturtium flowers

For the icing (optional, but pretty!):

½ cup powdered sugar
2+ teaspoons orange or lemon juice

Rinse the 10 nasturtiums well, inspect closely for bugs, and rinse again if needed. Remove petals; discard stems and leaves (they are edible but their flavor and color aren’t as pleasant for baking). Dry petals well, then mince them by pinching about 3 petals at a time and snipping them with kitchen shears. Gently mix the minced petals into the apricot preserves. Set aside. (Feel free to stop here or make extra, and use this beautiful, delicious spread for scones, toast, or anything! I left mine in the fridge overnight and was amazed by its remarkable flavor the next day. The taste of apricots came alive with tropical, citrusy hints.)

Mix butter and granulated sugar, add salt (if using), flour, and white pepper. As described above, wash and snip remaining 5 nasturtiums; add minced flowers to dough. Use warm hands to mix the dough, which will seem dry at first, until it sticks together. While dough is still at room temperature, roll into balls (about 1 scant tablespoon of dough for each) and place on parchment-lined cookie sheet. Poke each ball with your index finger about ¾ of the way through. (Using damp hands can make this easier.) Preheat oven to 325˚ F.

Put the apricot-flower preserves in a pastry bag or plastic bag with a small piece of the corner cut off, and pipe it into the fingerprints. Chill the filled cookies for 10 minutes in the freezer or 30 minutes in the fridge. This keeps the dough from spreading too much when it’s baked.

Bake the chilled cookies for 16-19 minutes, until the edges and bottoms are golden brown. Let them cool for 15-20 minutes, until room temperature. Meanwhile, make the icing (if using): Place powdered sugar in a bowl and gradually whisk in the orange juice. If it is too thick for drizzling, add just a few more drops of juice, being careful not to make it too thin. Lightly drizzle icing across the cooled cookies using a fork, pastry bag, or plastic bag with a very small hole cut in the corner. Let the icing set for at least 15 minutes. After icing has completely dried, keep the cookies in an airtight container for up to 3 days.

Nasturtium fingerprint cookies are subtly spicy, sweet and buttery, and they impart a refreshing floral fruitiness. They are wonderful with a hot cup of tea or coffee, yet they hint of sunny weather – perfect for any time of year!

butter, sugar, flowers

Macadamia Cake: A Little Taste of Hawaii