_

[b]. a student in Cambridge, MA.

an amateur writer, photographer, and designer; a sleeper, a reader, a walker, a liver (not in the organ-sense).

loves: fruit, witty remarks, music, dwarf tulips, light sage green, and watching the sky.

can't survive without: water, sunshine, love, my family & friends.

Walnut cake with fig apple compote.

The cake (adapted from Gourmet)

1 1/4 cups walnuts (4 1/2 oz), toasted (see Tips) and cooled
2/3 cup sugar
1 stick unsalted butter, cut into pieces
4 large eggs
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt

Preheat oven to 350°F with rack in middle. Butter and flour an 8-inch round cake pan.
Combine flour, baking powder, and salt; set aside.
Pulse walnuts and sugar in a food processor or blender until very finely chopped. Add butter and process until combined, then add eggs and vanilla and process until combined. Add flour mixture in parts and pulse just until incorporated. Spread batter in cake pan.
Bake until cake is just firm to the touch and a wooden pick inserted into center comes out clean, 25 to 30 minutes. Cool 15 minutes in pan, then turn out onto a rack and cool completely.
Dust with powdered sugar, serve with fig and apple compote and freshly whipped cream.

The compote
3 dried figs, diced small
a handful of dried cranberries, roughly chopped
1/2 Tbsp of lemon zest
1/2 Tbsp of orange zest (or zest of one orange)
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
3~5 tablespoons fresh orange juice
3 tablespoons sugar or 4~5 Tbsp maple sugar
2 apples, in 1/4-inch dice

Soak chopped dried cranberries and figs in orange and lemon juice
Simmer zests, juices, cranberries and figs, sugar/syrup, and a pinch of salt in a small heavy saucepan over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until thick and syrupy, about 5 minutes.
Stir in apples and gently simmer, stirring occasionally, until softened but apples still retain their shape, about 15 minutes.
Chill before serving.

Comments