I Never Promised You a Rose Garden was the theme for a dinner party we attended in January.
Each of us was assigned a course, but otherwise, we were charged to interpret the song - made famous by Lynn Anderson - however we liked.
For an appetizer, Barbara brought an improbably delicious Brussels sprouts and cheese spread. After all, she never promised us a rose garden.
Connie, our host, made delicious roasted chicken thighs with rosemary and a side of garden vegetables.
Kate brought a salad. It was served in garden-esque rows. Whodathunk a homophone for dinner?
Me? I am just too boring. I took it literally and made a dessert with rosewater.
It was this fantastic lemony-frosted pistachio cake that was slightly rose-y... but not enough to make you think you were supping on hand lotion.
The recipe was from The New York Times and is the creation of British chef Nigel Slater.
I used the little bag of ground pistachios I brought back from Bronte, Sicily, but any unsalted pistachio will work just fine.
With spring just around the corner, be sure to take time to smell (and taste) the roses!
~ David
Lemon-Frosted Pistachio Cake
Recipe by Nigel Slater
8 ounces butter
1 cup plus 1 tablespoon superfine sugar
3 large eggs
1 cup finely ground unsalted pistachios
1 cup finely ground blanched almonds
juice and finely grated zest of 1 orange
1 teaspoon rosewater
1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1 cup confectioners' sugar
2 tablespoons lemon juice
whole shelled unsalted pistachios, for garnish
Preheat oven to 350°F. Line the bottom of an 8-inch nonstick cake pan with parchment paper.
In a mixer fitted with a paddle, cream together the butter and superfine sugar until light and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time, then add the ground pistachios and almonds. Add the orange juice, orange zest and rosewater, and mix well. Using a rubber spatula, fold in the flour; do not overmix.
Scoop the mixture into the cake pan, and bake until the top is firm and a light golden brown, about 40 minutes. Lightly cover the top of the cake with foil and continue baking until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out dry, about 10 minutes more. Allow the cake to cool in the pan for several minutes, then remove and cool on a rack.
When the cake is cool, mix the confectioners’ sugar and lemon juice together in a small bowl, and pour over the cake. While the frosting is still soft, sprinkle with the whole shelled pistachios. Allow the icing to set for 30 minutes before serving.
Serves 12.
Labels: i never promised you a rose garden, lynn anderson, nigel slater, pistachio, pistachio cake, rosewater
