Strawberry-Pistachio Brown Butter Babycakes

“THOU ART TO ME A DELICIOUS TORMENT.”  Ralph Waldo Emerson

 Strawberries…you and I had a little falling out this week.  Actually, we almost broke up!  I don’t like drama in my kitchen.  But there you were….weeping and bleeding all over my lemon tart!  And now you want to get back together again?  Can I trust you?  Can I even forgive you?

Lucky for you I believe in second chances!  But let’s take it slow this time.  Why don’t I introduce you to Pistachio.  And let’s see if you can behave!

Was it a match made in heaven?????………………….

IT WAS LOVE AT FIRST BITE!!!

 These are the most incredible little cakes!  Strawberries + Pistachios + Brown Butter =  Sweet Redemption!

I am very proud of myself because this cake required pistachio flour.  And since I could not find that anywhere, I made my own!  It really gives the cake a pretty color, texture and just a subtle sweetness.  The brown butter….enhances the nuttiness of this perfect little tea cake.  And the strawberries….were the finishing touch!

So let’s get on with the love fest……

This recipe makes 6 (4 inch) cakes or 1 (9 inch) cake.

PISTACHIO FLOUR

8 oz. unsalted pistachios

3 TBSP all purpose flour

Grind the pistachios and the flour in a food processor till fine.  Later, as you are sifting this with the other ingredients, if it becomes moist, just return it to the food processor and dust with a bit more flour and process a bit more.

CAKE:

2 sticks, unsalted butter, cut into small pieces + more for buttering the tins.

2 3/4 cup confectioners sugar

1 cup pistachio flour (or use the entire recipe above)

3/4 cup cake flour

1 tsp kosher salt

7 large egg whites (or 3/4 cup + 2 TBSP)

1 cup strawberries chopped into small pieces (or whole raspberries or blueberries)

2 TBSP demerara sugar

In a small saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter and continue to heat until it is light brown and smells nutty, about 8 minutes.  Remove from the heat and strain into a small bowl.

In a large bowl, sift together the confectioner’s sugar, cake flour, pistachio flour and salt.  (If the pistachio flour seems moist, and becomes difficult to sift, return it to the food processor, add a dusting of flour, pulse for a few seconds and continue to sift.)  Whisk in the egg whites to combine.  Whisk in the butter in a slow and steady stream.  The batter will already start to feel thick.  Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator to thicken some more, about an hour.

Preheat the oven to 350°F.  Butter the mini tart tins or a 9 inch tart pan. (Both should have removable bottoms!)

I used a large ice cream scoop to pour the batter into the tart tins.  The batter is very thick at this point.  Smooth the surface with an offset spatula if necessary.  Sprinkle the berries on top being sure to keep a 1/2 inch border from the edge of the pan.  Sprinkle the berries and the cake with the demerara sugar.

Place the tart pan(s) on a baking sheet and bake until the cake(s) are golden and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out with a few crumbs.

IMPORTANT NOTE: The original recipe calls for the 9 inch tart to be baked for 35-40 minutes; and for the mini cakes to be baked for 20-25 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through the baking process.  But I found for the 6 mini cakes, my bake time was 37 minutes.  The batter is very thick and wet and the strawberries on top may have contributed to a thicker, more wet center.  So start with a shorter baking time and keep your eye on it, and continue to check with your toothpick.

Transfer the cakes to a wire rack, and remove the outer ring to cool.  Serve the cake warm or cool.  Add a dusting of confectioner’s sugar if desired.  (It just makes it look so pretty!)

The cake is best eaten the day it is made, but can be stored, loosely covered with saran wrap, at room temperature for up to 2 days!

I hope you enjoy!

Adapted from The Craft of Baking