Pistachio and Lemon Syrup Cake

Friendship is not a big thing. It's a million little things. It is the hardest thing in the world to explain. It can't be forced and it won't be instant. Friendship that is formed naturally over a long period of time will often last a life time.

When we moved to Australia 10 years ago, we left behind all our dear friends in Malaysia and Holland. I was a little nervous whether we will be able to meet new friends in a new country that is foreign to both of us.

When I was 6 month pregnant with Miss C, we bought our first home in Australia and moved to a quiet suburb on the North Shore of Sydney. Never did I know that having a kid would open up a whole new world to me. Some new firm friendship was found that last until today.

Lately I have not been able to spend a lot of time with all my friends because I am still recuperating from a painful back injury but I know from our constant phone calls, texts, emails, chats, they are always there for me, with me and they are friends whom I can count on when helps are needed.

A few particular ones who are constantly on the receiving end of my baking and cooking are my closest and dearest. They know who they are. This cake is no exception. It went to a dearest friend's home and to be shared by many others.

P/S: Thanks for all your well wishes and kind wards. My back is recuperating and I am coping well. With all back related injuries, it takes a long time for the body to heal.

Pistachio and Lemon Syrup Cake
(Adapted from Delicious Magazine September 2010 issue)
Serves 6-8

Belinda Jeffery - "This recipe was given to me by the lovely food writer and cooking teacher Elise Pascoe, and I've made it time and time again. It's a gorgeous, simple cake - light and lemony, and so eye-catching with its pale green hue and mantle of pistachios

Ingredients

1/3 cup (50 g) plain flour, sifted
3/4 tsp baking powder
1/2 cup (75 g) pistachio kernels, finely ground in a mini food processor
Finely grated zest of 2 lemons
3/4 cup (90 g) almond meal
180 g unsalted butter, at room temperature, chopped
150 g caster sugar
3 eggs, at room temperature
softly whipped cream or thick Greek-style yoghurt, to serve

Pistachio and lemon syrup:
1/4 cup (55 g) caster sugar
Juice of 2 lemons
1/3 cup (50 g) slivered pistachios (I used chopped pistachios)

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 170C. Grease a 20cm round cake pan and line the base and sides with baking paper.
2. Place the flour, baking powder, ground pistachio, lemon zest and almond meal into a bowl, and whisk together until combined. Set aside.
   

   

3. Place the butter and sugar in an electric mixer and beat on medium speed for 4-5 minutes, stopping and scraping down the sides occasionally, until the mixture is thick and pale. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. (Don't worry if the mixture looks a little curdled after adding the last egg - it will come together again when you mix in the flour.)
4. Add the flour mixture and beat everything together on low speed until just combined - be careful not to overmix it or the cake will be tough. Scrape the batter into the prepared cake pan and level the top with a palette knife.



5. Bake in the oven for 40-50 minutes until it springs back when lightly pressed and a skewer inserted in the centre comes out clean. Leave to cool in the pan on a wire rack.



6. When the cake is lukewarm, place the sugar and lemon juice in a small pan over low heat and stir until the sugar dissolves. Add the pistachio, increase the heat to medium-high and bring the mixture to the boil. Remove from heat.
7. Turn the cake out onto the rack, peel away the baking paper, then invert the cake onto a serving plate. Slowly spoon the hot pistachio syrup evenly over the top, then leave it to cool completely.
8. Slice and serve with cream or yoghurt.