Pistachio Sponge Cake Recipe With Orange Syrup

Total Time: 1 hr 5 mins Preparation Time: 30 mins Cook Time: 35 mins

Ingredients

• Servings: 6
• 6 large eggs, separated
• 1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar (or freshly squeezed lemon juice)
• 1 1/2 cups sugar, divided
• 1/2 cup orange juice
• 1 teaspoon orange zest
• 1 1/4 cups flour
• 1/4 cup pistachios, finely chopped
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup pistachios, chopped
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 3/4 cup water
• 1 teaspoon orange rind

Recipe

• 1 instructions:.
• 2 beat egg whites until frothy; add cream of tartar and beat at high speed until soft peaks form. gradually add 3/4 cup sugar; continue beating until stiff but not dry. set aside.
• 3 beat yolks about 3 minutes or until very thick and light in color. add remaining sugar 1 tablespoon at a time; beat until thick. add orange juice and peel; blend until smooth.
• 4 thoroughly combine flour, finely chopped pistachios and salt; gently fold into egg yolk mixture until well-blended.
• 5 fold yolk mixture into beaten whites.
• 6 pour into 6 (5 3/4 x 3 1/4 x 2 1/4 inch) ungreased pans; cut through batter with spatula to remove air bubbles. bake at 325 degrees f. 25 to 35 minutes or until cakes spring back when lightly touched.
• 7 immediately invert pans on wire racks; cool completely. to remove cakes, loosen around edges of pans with knife. p.
• 8 our orange syrup over cakes; allow to sit until syrup is absorbed. or, optionally frost with a fluffy buttercream icing. garnish tops of cakes with chopped pistachios.
• 9 orange syrup:.
• 10 combine 3/4 cup each sugar and water and 1 teaspoon orange peel; bring to boil. simmer, uncovered, 2 minutes; cool 10 minutes. makes 1 cup.
• 11 variation:.
• 12 orange buttercream icing can be substituted for orange syrup. combine 3 cups powdered sugar, 6 tablespoons softened butter, 5 tablespoons half-and-half or milk and 1 teaspoon grated orange peel. spread about 1/4 cup over top and sides of each cake. garnish with chopped natural california pistachios. makes 1 3/4 cups.
• 13 california pistachio commission.