Pine Nut Dessert Recipes

TUSCAN PINE NUT CAKE

Steps:

• Make it as the first thing, as you'll need it to be cold when you will add it to the cake. Heat the milk in a saucepan until it starts to simmer, then set aside.
• Whisk the egg yolks with the sugar and the flour, then pour in the hot milk in a thin stream, stirring continuously with a whisk.
• Transfer the pastry cream to the saucepan and move it on a low flame. Stir it constantly until it begins to thicken, about 3 minutes. Remove it from the heat, add the raisins and let it cool down.
• Preheat oven to 175°C/350 degrees F.
• Wisk butter and sugar for a few minutes, until creamy and light.
• Add the eggs gradually, one after the other, waiting for the first to be completely incorporated before adding the next one.
• Stir in the flour sifted with the baking powder.
• Grease and dust with flour a 22cm/9in round cake pan.
• Separate the batter equally into two pastry bags. Pipe the batter of the first pastry bag onto the cake pan, then spread it evenly with a spatula.
• Spoon the cold pastry cream over the first layer of cake, leaving 2 cm all around the edges. Smooth the surface of the pastry cream.
• Pipe the batter of the second pastry bag on top of the pastry cream in concentric circles, trying not to mix it with the custard, then spread it evenly with a spatula. Sprinkle the surface with pine nuts.
• Transfer to the oven and bake for 45 to 50 minutes, until golden brown.
• Remove the cake from the oven, let it cool down completely, then gently unmould it onto a plate. Keep in the fridge for a few hours before slicing in.

PIGNOLI NUT PIE

Steps:

• Combine the white sugar, brown sugar, eggs, vanilla, flour, cream, and melted butter in a bowl. Whisk until well blended. Fold in the pignoli nuts. Pour filling into the pie crust.
• Bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 50 minutes.

PINE NUT COOKIES

Steps:

• Using an electric mixer, beat the butter, sugar, vanilla, fennel seed, and salt in a large bowl until light and fluffy. Beat in the egg. Add the flour and mix just until blended.
• Transfer the dough to a sheet of plastic wrap. Shape the dough into an 8-inch-long log. Wrap the dough in plastic and refrigerate for 2 hours.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line heavy large baking sheets with a silpat or parchment paper. Cut the dough log crosswise into 1/8 to 1/4-inch thick slices. Transfer the cookies to the prepared baking sheets, spacing evenly apart. Press the pine nuts decoratively atop the cookies. Bake until the cookies are golden around the edges, about 15 minutes.

STRAWBERRY AND APRICOT CRISP WITH PINE-NUT CRUMBLE

Steps:

• Combine all crumble ingredients in a medium bowl and massage together with your fingers until butter is incorporated and mixture forms small clumps. Refrigerate until mixture is cold, at least 30 minutes and up to overnight.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter a 9 1/2-inch shallow round baking dish or pie plate. Combine all filling ingredients in another medium bowl. Transfer to baking dish and top with crumble. Bake until bubbling in center and crumble is browned, about 40 minutes. Let cool at least 20 minutes. Serve warm or at room temperature with ice cream.

PINE NUT TART

Steps:

• For the tart crust: Add the flour, granulated sugar and salt to the bowl of a food processor and pulse until combined. Add the butter and pulse until small pebbles form. With the machine running, add the egg yolk, vanilla and water and pulse until the dough just comes together. Remove to a piece of plastic wrap and press together into a dough ball. Flatten into a disk then refrigerate, at least 30 minutes.
• Meanwhile, make the honey and pine nut filling: Add the honey, brown sugar and salt to a medium saucepan over medium heat and whisk to combine. Cook, whisking occasionally, until the sugar melts, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the butter and whisk until melted. Pour the mixture into a large bowl and allow to cool for 25 to 30 minutes.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough to a 13-inch circle and place in an 11-inch tart pan with a removable bottom. Chill 30 more minutes.
• Prick the bottom of the tart with a fork. Place a piece of parchment in the center of the tart and fill all the way to the top with dried beans. Bake until the crust is set but still slightly pale, about 15 minutes. Allow to cool, then remove the parchment and beans.
• Reduce the oven temperature to 325 degrees F.
• Meanwhile, whisk the heavy cream, egg yolk, lemon zest and juice into the cooled filling. Place the cooled tart shell on a rimmed baking sheet and scatter the pine nuts inside the shell. Evenly pour the filling into the tart crust and bake until the top is golden brown, the filling is set and the very center still has a slight jiggle, 50 to 60 minutes.
• Cool completely before slicing, at least 30 minutes and up to 1 hour. Serve dusted with confectioners' sugar.

PINE NUT DESSERT

Steps:

• Mix syrup and cream and pour over pine nuts. Serve cold. It's that easy!