cherry pistachio and coconut cake – not vegan!

This recipe was inspired when flicking through a cookbook at Thorn Park by the vines. Chef owner,  David Hay is a friend of some forty years [yes her was a child when we first met], a brilliant chef who makes everything seem effortless for his guests. David also has a marvellous culinary library. This recipe is very vaguely referenced to a recipe inspiration found in “Honey & Co” the baking cookbook. Whilst there are some really good ideas in this book, I am a detester of cups and spoons in recipes because I believe they frequently lead to mixed results.

Makes 12-16 serves to prepare the tin 1 x 25 cm spring form tin 20g approximately extra virgin organic coconut oil[i] 30g plain flour
140g dark brown sugar
180g fine desiccated coconut[ii]
180g ground blanched almonds
75g ground pistachios[iii]
100g self-raising flour
5g ground mahleb [iv]

400g large crunchy cherries, pitted and roughly divided into half[v]

200g molten but cool extra virgin organic coconut oil
5 x 61g room temperature eggs, whisked well

75g pistachios, coarsely and finely chopped on pulse in a food processor
30g caster sugar
50g icing sugar mixture

[i]You can substitute butter or olive oil [ii] When you buy desiccated coconut make sure it is nice and white it is an indication of freshness. [iii]We buy our pistachios from The Food Forest one of the state of South Australia’s oldest certified organic growers….they are brilliant and so perfectly dried they powder easily in a Thermomix. [iv]Mahleb is made from the inner kernel of the cherry stone, dried and powdered. It can be quite difficult to find. We crushed 20 cherry stones, extracted the kernel and ground it up. [v]I like to pit cherries when they are very visible with a knife. Yes you end up with gardeners or winemakers hands at the end of the cherry season but exposing their beauty if worth it for me.
Preparing the mahleb
Pre heat oven to 175°C Carefully brush the tin with coconut oil, add the flour to the pan and roll it around to evenly coat the tin and then knock out the excess.

Put all of the dry ingredients into a large bowl and mix them together. Add one half of the cherries and mix them through. Mix through the coconut oil and then the eggs. It is quite firm mixture. Press the remaining cherries.

Sit the cake on a baking sheet [it oozes a little] and set a timer for 30 minutes. When the timer goes, turn the oven down to 150°C and leave the oven door open. Take the tin from the oven; scatter the remaining lot of pistachios over the top and sprinkle the caster sugar on top. Return the cake to the oven for another 30 minutes.

When the timer goes take the cake from the oven and stand it on a rack and set a timer for 30 minutes. Do not remove the ring or attempt to take the cake from the form it will fall to bits.

When the timer goes run a fine knife around the edges and release the ring. Make a running icing with the 50g of icing sugar and drizzle across the top…this is optional, but it is not a sweet cake.

Let the cake sit for another 30-45 minutes until the bottom is just warm and then using a palette knife release the cake from the base and slide it onto a cake plate.

This cake is one of those rare cakes that is actually better the second and third day. A dollop of crème fraiche would work nicely.

Food editor’s note I have not tried it, but there is such a small amount of flour in this recipe I am certain it could be substituted with gluten free plain flour and still be very successful.

below right top….the vegan version was made with long shred coarser coconut which did not compact as well as the fine desiccated coconut and made the cake a little crumbly….bottom hard to tell the difference tastes just the same!

the vegan version

to prepare the tin
1 x 25 cm spring form tin
20g approximately extra virgin organic coconut oil
30g plain flour
140g dark brown sugar
200g fine desiccated coconut
180g ground blanched almonds
75g ground pistachios
100g self-raising flour
125g arrowroot flour
15g Double Action baking powder
5g ground mahleb

400g large crunchy cherries, pitted and roughly divided into half

250g molten but cool extra virgin organic coconut oil
250g coconut cream…we like the Kara brand in the cardboard box
Whisk the coconut oil and cream together…don’t panic when they emulsify.

75g pistachios, coarsely and finely chopped on pulse in a food processor
30g caster sugar
50g icing sugar mixture

Method for preparing the vegan version is the same, however, the vegan version takes longer to cook…please refer to below.

Pre heat oven to 175°C
Sit the cake on a baking sheet [it oozes a little] and set a timer for 30 minutes. When the timer goes, turn the oven down to 150C and leave the oven door open. Take the tin from the oven; scatter the remaining lot of pistachios over the top and sprinkle the caster sugar on top. Return the cake to the oven for another 30 minutes….turn the tin in the oven and cook for a further 30 minutes.

Allow the cake to cool for the same time and in the same manner as the non-vegan version.