While a success, only Stephanie loved this cake enough to merit making it again.
So, for her, if requested, I would.
Recipe from Susan Spicer’s Big Easy Christmas, Food and Wine, December 2000
Takes a long day to make it and needs overnight fridge time.
4 1/2 c milk
1 1/2 c sugar
1 c semolina flour
1 stick us butter, soft
3 large eggs, beaten a little
9 large eggs, separated
1 tbl vanilla extract
Pistachio Creme Anglaise
Tart cherry pinot noir syrup
1. Butter and flour a 10-inch springform pan. Wrap the outside tightly with tin foil.
2. In big heavy Cresuet pot, combine milk with ¾ c sugar and bring to a boil. Whisk in Semolina and cook over low heat, whisking often, until thickened, about 2 minutes. Stir in half the butter and remaining ¾ c sugar and transfer to a large bowl. Stirring occasionally let the semolina cool completely. Stir in the remaining butter, then the 3 whole eggs, then the 9 egg yolks and the vanilla.
3. Preheat oven to 350. In a large bowl, beat the egg whites until stiff peaks form. Stir one third of the beaten egg whites into the semolina to lighten it, then fold in the remaining whites. Pour the batter into the prepared pan.
4. Set the cake pan in a roasting pan and add enough hot water to reach halfway up the side of the cake pan. Bake in the center of the over for 1 hour and 15 minutes, or until the cake is puffed and the center is still slightly jiggley. Transfer the cake to a wire rack to cool completely, then cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.
5. Run a knife around the edge of the cake and remove the side of the springform pan.
6. I poured some of the pistachio sauce on ½ of the plate and the cherry sauce on the other. I put a thin wedge in between the sauces. Sprinkled chopped pistachios on it and used a lavender flower for garnish.
Pistachio Crème Anglaise
1 c shelled unsalted pistachios
2 c milk
½ c sugar
salt
9 large egg yolks
Shy 1/8 tsp almond extract to taste and more as desired
1. Preheat Oven to 350. Toast Pistachios lightly. Let cool completely. Do your best to get the skins off. Transfer to a food processor and grind into a fine powder.
2. In a heavy saucepan, combine milk with the ground pistachios and bring to boil. Cover, remove from heat and let stand for 30 minutes.
3. Strain the pistachio milk through a fine sieve into another medium saucepan. Add the sugar and a pinch of salt. Whisk in egg yolks and cook over low heat, whisking constantly, until the custard sauce is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon, almost 8 minutes. Do not let the
custard boil.
4. Strain the sauce through a fine sieve into a bowl. Tast and only stir in the almond extract as desirted. Cover and put in fridge till ready to use. Can be in there for about 2 days.
Tart Cherry-Pinot Noir Syrup2 c dried tart cherries (small is best)
2 c Pinot Noir
½ c Sugar
Combine all ingredients in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Simmer over low heat for 5 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the cherries to a medium bowl. Simmer the wine over moderate heat until syrupy and reduced to ¾ cup. Transfer the Pinot Noir to a small bowl to cool, then stir in cherries. Serve at room temperature. (Can be in fridge for up to a week).
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