Pistachio sponge with honey & thyme crème fraîche & frosted pistachios
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Pistachio sponge with honey & thyme crème fraîche & frosted pistachios

By Tom Kerridge

Pistachio paste adds moisture and smooth nutty flavour to Tom Kerridge’s deliciously light loaf cake with herb and honey topping, and sweet crunchy nuts

  • Prep:35 mins
    Cook:50 mins
  • Serves 12
  • More effort

Nutrition per serving

  • kcal 589
  • fat 33g
  • saturates 17g
  • carbs 63g
  • sugars 42g
  • fibre 3g
  • protein 9g
  • salt 0.6g

Ingredients

  • 200g butter, plus extra to grease
  • 300g golden caster sugar
  • 100g pistachio paste (available from souschef.co.uk)
  • 300g self-raising flour
  • 4 large eggs
  • 125g golden caster sugar
  • 100g pistachios (the super green variety if you can get them)
  • 300g crème fraîche
  • 60g honey
  • 1 tbsp picked thyme leaves

Method

  1. Heat oven to 170C/150C fan/gas 3 1/2. Grease and line a 900g loaf tin with a strip of baking parchment that hangs slightly over either end of the tin. To make the sponge, beat the butter and sugar using an electric hand whisk or tabletop mixer until light and fluffy. Add the pistachio paste and 2 tbsp of flour, then beat the eggs in one at a time. Once fully combined, fold in the remaining flour.

  2. Spoon the mixture into the tin and bake for 45-50 mins. Remove from the oven, cool in the tin for 10-15 mins, then lift out onto a wire rack using the ends of the baking parchment.

  3. While the cake bakes, make the frosted pistachios. Line a baking tray with baking parchment. Mix the sugar with 2 tbsp water in a small saucepan and bring to the boil. Add the nuts and stir until the sugar starts to crystallise. Once the nuts are covered in a white crystal coating, turn out onto the lined tray and leave to cool.

  4. Whip the crème fraîche with the honey and thyme. Serve with slices of the cake and the frosted nuts.

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