Cooking/Olive Oil Cake/Stone Fruit/Basil

Cooking is my passion. It is one activity at which I can spend a great deal of time and effort and leave the endeavor feeling thoroughly refreshed. This is a collection of recipes, menus, restaurant reviews, and so on. Enjoy!

There is a wonderful restaurant in San Francisco called Incanto. It is Italian and enchanting. One evening I had a wonderful dessert which I attempted at home on my own. I hope that you will like it.

Olive Oil Cake with Stone Fruit and Basil

Olive Oil Cake

3 large eggs, beaten

2 cups granulated sugar

12 ounces extra-virgin olive oil

10 ounces milk

2 ounces orange liqueur

2 ounces fresh orange juice

3 teaspoons lemon zest

2 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon kosher salt

4 ounces blanched almonds, finely chopped

Powdered sugar, for garnish

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Butter a 10-inch cake pan.

In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, sugar, olive oil, milk, liqueur, orange juice, and lemon zest. Sift together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Mix the dry mixture into the wet mixture. Whisk until well blended. Fold in the almonds.

Pour the mixture into the buttered cake pan. Bake for 1 hour. Place on a rack to cool. Run a knife around the edges and place it on a plate. Sprinkle with powdered sugar and serve.

Fruit and Mascarpone Cheese.

Prepare a combination of peaches, cherries, apricots, or other stone fruit to equal 3 cups. Stone the fruit and either slice or cut into quarters or halves. Dress with 1/4 cup of light olive oil and 1/3 of a cup of julienned basil leaves. Let sit for an hour.

Prepare a cup of mascarpone with 1/4 of a cup of powdered sugar and moisten with a bit of Marsala wine. Whisk the mixture.

To serve, place a slice of cake with a serving of the fruits on the side. Place a dollop of the mascarpone on the cake, and garnish with a basil leaf.

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10/12/05