Spice Up Dessert: Walnut Cayenne Tahini Cake

A Flavorful Twist on Classic Baking

Get ready to tantalize your taste buds with our Walnut Tahini Cake recipe! Brace yourself for a flavorful journey where nutty walnuts, creamy tahini, and a hint of cayenne collide in a symphony of taste sensations. Despite its fiery name, rest assured, this cake brings the perfect balance of sweetness and spice. So, roll up your sleeves and let's dive into baking bliss!

Ingredients

1/4 cup butter

1/2 cup shortening

1 1/2 cup sugar

3 eggs

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1 1/2 cup flour

1/4 lb walnuts

1 tablespoon tahini

1/2 teaspoon ground cayenne

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 cup milk

Tools

mixing bowls

spoon

measuring cups and spoons

mixer (hand or stand)

knife

cutting board

nonstick 8-inch pan

plastic butter knife

parchment paper

pencil

scissors

Yes, it says "cayenne" in the title. No, the cake is not spicy. No need to panic.

For best results, start with all ingredients at room temperature, and do not preheat the oven!

Set your round pan on a sheet of parchment paper and trace around the base with a pencil. Trim off the excess with the scissors. Set your parchment circle into the bottom of the baking pan as a liner to prevent sticking. The cake you're about to make gets awfully comfortable where it is and doesn't like to leave the pan again without an assist, so skip this step at your own risk.

Dump out a comfortable amount of walnuts onto your cutting board, grab your knife and chop them as fine as you like. Due to picky eaters in the household, we went extra fine with ours. Scrape the cutting board off into a mixing bowl and repeat the "comfortable amount of walnuts" thing as many times as necessary to get through a quarter pound. We used a small cutting board and did it in three waves. If you have a larger board - maybe one of those comically huge industrial ones - surely the whole quarter pound at once is no obstacle for you.

Measure your flour, baking powder, cayenne, and cinnamon into the mixing bowl full of walnut pieces and stir them all together until everything is fully incorporated.

In another mixing bowl, cream together your softened butter and shortening. Add the sugar slowly, mixing all the while. You'll get a granular, fluffy, pale concoction in a minute or two.

Add one egg and your tahini. Run the mixer until you have one uniform color, then proceed to add the other two eggs. Try not to overmix, but don't leave any yolky spots.

Add your dry ingredients slowly and stir them into the wet ingredients by hand until everything has been dampened. Now you're safe to add your milk - again slowly, and again mixing by hand.

Feel free to bring back the mixer now to finish it off and get rid of any lumps. (We just didn't want the high speed with the thin liquid sitting on top of lumpy mush.)

Pour your batter into your lined baking pan, pop it in the oven, shut the door, start the oven heating  to 350 and set a timer for one hour and ten minutes. Do not open the oven door - at all! Not even to check on it! Turn the oven off when the timer finishes, but leave the door closed another ten minutes before removing the cake so it can cool.

After it's had a chance to cool for 20 minutes or so, work around the edge with a plastic knife. Again, this cake likes where it is and will need to be convinced to move. The parchment should ensure the bottom just pops free after you've loosened the sides.

Serve warm.

As you savor the last crumb of our Walnut Tahini Cake, consider the magic that lies within your kitchen. Yet, even the most beloved recipes encounter hiccups along the way. Should you find yourself facing challenges with your major appliances, like your stove or oven, remember that Appliance Rescue Service is here to lend a helping hand. Don't let appliance woes disrupt your culinary endeavors. Schedule a maintenance appointment via our website or give us a call, and let our expert technicians ensure your kitchen runs smoothly. Until next time, happy baking!

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(214) 599-0055

Berry Bliss: A Delectable Mixed-Berry Clafouti Recipe

Explore the art of culinary rebellion with our unexpected twist on clafouti.

Picture this: a classic recipe, a cupboard full of mixed berries, and a touch of culinary rebellion. That's where our journey begins—a playful twist on tradition, a deviation from the expected.

In the realm of clafouti, cherries typically steal the show. But armed with fresh blueberries and a stash of thawed, drained mixed berries, we set out to create a berry-packed spectacle that dances to its own tune.

Here's to embracing the delightful unpredictability of the kitchen, where ingredient swaps and adventurous spirits collide. Join us as we uncover the charm of our mixed berry clafouti—a testament to the joy found in breaking culinary norms and reveling in the delightful surprises that grace our plates.

Ingredients

1 pound assorted berries

1/4 cup butter

4 whole eggs

1 cup granulated sugar

3/4 cup flour

2 teaspoons vanilla extract 

1 cup whole milk

Pinch salt

Tools

Large oven-safe baking dish

Mixing bowls

Measuring cups and spoons

Whisk or mixer

While a clafouti is traditionally made with cherries... guess who has no cherries? Us! So we decided to have a little fun with it and make a mixed berry clafouti.

We had some fresh blueberries on hand, and maybe a half cup or so of frozen mixed berries that we thawed and drained. If you're starting with all fresh, obviously, there's no need for that step, but you'll absolutely need to take the extra minute or two to wash your produce.

We chose to use a 2-quart round baking dish. That's not a hard rule - you can use whatever you have handy. If you use something less dense (say a large Pyrex dish), adjust your cook time down accordingly and check frequently. 

Once your ingredients are gathered and produce washed, grease the pan you plan to use. We used some butter, simply because it was already out for the rest of the recipe.

In a small dish, melt the quarter cup of butter and set it aside for now.

Beat the eggs, then add the pinch of salt and sugar together to the eggs. Whisk well. Once thoroughly combined, add about half of your flour and stir it in.

We started this recipe with a whisk but kind of made a mess... so we raided the cabinets and got out the hand mixer. We used it with only one beater and had a much easier time of things. We highly recommend using a hand mixer if available; your arm will thank you later.

Pour the melted butter into the mixture slowly, stirring constantly as you add. (This is where that hand mixer really shines.)

Measure out your milk - whole milk works best - and add just a little to the batter.

Go back to your flour and add the rest now. Try to avoid any big clumps of flour, that way you won't spend too much time trying to break them up. After the last of the flour is stirred in, you can add the rest of the milk.

The milk will look like it's trying to stay separate, but don't worry, you'll be able to get it mixed in shortly.

Once you've got your batter ready, dump your berries into the baking dish. Make sure they're an even layer, not all mounded up on one side. 

Pour the batter over the berries and resist the urge to stir. We know, we've been telling you to stir everything this time... and now we're telling you not to. It's unexpected. 

Stick the baking dish, uncovered, into the oven. Bake at 350 for an hour and ten minutes (again, that's for a deep round dish - start around 45 minutes for a shallower dish). Use the toothpick test to make sure it's done; if you're getting anything other than berry juice when you test, put it back for five more minutes at a time until you get a clean test.

Allow it to cool 20-30 minutes before attempting to serve.

Optional step: dust with powdered sugar before serving.

If this berry-filled escapade has nudged your curiosity or inspired your own kitchen rebellion, let it be a testament to the joy found in embracing culinary unpredictability. After all, the best recipes often emerge from a dash of creativity and a sprinkle of daring experimentation.

Now, while we revel in the delights of culinary exploration, let's not forget that a smoothly running kitchen often relies on trusty appliances. From the oven that breathes life into your culinary creations to the trusty fridge keeping ingredients fresh, Appliance Rescue Service stands by to ensure your kitchen runs seamlessly. We understand that just like in cooking, sometimes, a dash of expert care and maintenance can keep everything running like clockwork.

So, as you bid adieu to this berry-filled journey, remember that our team is here not just for recipes but also to rescue any hiccups in your appliance symphony. Whether it's a stove in need of some love or a dishwasher on strike, trust us to be your partners in appliance care and maintenance.

Ready to keep your kitchen humming? Schedule an appointment through our user-friendly website or give us a call at ((214) 599-0055). Let's ensure your appliances continue to be your kitchen's silent heroes, making way for more culinary escapades and delightful discoveries.

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