Olive Oil Cake with Crème Fraîche, Pistachios, Orange, andChocolate
"This is a fragrant olive oil sponge cake made with rice flourâ??which enhances the flavor of the oilâ??split and moistened with more oil and filled with vanilla crème fraîche laced with chopped chocolate, pistachios, and candied orange peel. I drizzle the plates with oil as I serve as well. If you are fortunate enough to have a bottle of olio nuovoâ??unfiltered fresh oil from the most recent harvest, you can save it for drizzling, use extra virgin oil in the batter. Or go nuts and use the new oil throughout. A note on rice flour: Use an American brand of regular or superfine rice flour. The Thai rice flour available in most Asian groceries is too fine and will not work with this recipe...."
INGREDIENTS
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1 teaspoon (5 grams) softened butter
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1 teaspoon (5 grams) sugar
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2 tablespoons (16 grams) finely chopped pistachios
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1/3 cup plus 1 tablespoon (85 grams) extra virgin olive oil (or olio nuovo)
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1 unsprayed or organic orange
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2/3 cup (130 grams) sugar
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4 large cold eggs
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1/8 teaspoon (generous) salt (I use fine sea salt)
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2/3 cup (100 grams) rice flour (see note, above)
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1 1/2 cups (340 grams) chilled crème fraîche
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2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
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3 to 4 tablespoons (36-50 grams) sugar
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3 tablespoons (30 grams) finely chopped candied orange peel or candied orange slices
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6 tablespoons (50 grams) finely chopped pistachios, plus extra left from the pan
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2 tablespoons olio nuovo or extra virgin olive oil
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1 ounce (28 grams) dark chocolate, chopped medium finely
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Powdered sugar for dusting
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olio nuovo (or extra virgin olive oil) for serving, optional
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