12.29.05
Olive Oil Cake. Italian recipes
Olive Oil Cake with Black Truffle Ice Cream and Roasted Pears
For the Olive Oil Cake
2 Eggs
1 2/3 cup Granulated Sugar
1 cup Extra-Virgin Olive Oil
2 t truffle Oil
1 cup milk
1 t orange zest
1 1/3 cup all purpose flour
½ t baking powder
½ t baking soda
¼ t salt
Preheat the oven to 325oF. Oil and flour the loaf pan and set aside. Whisk the eggs and sugar together in a large mixing bowl. Add the orange zest and whisk it in. Pour the oils and milk into the bowl slowly, whisking as you add them. Sift the dry ingredients and add them to the bowl. Whisk until there aren’t any lumps left. Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Bake at 325oF for 30 minutes. Turn the cake 180o and continue to bake for 30 more minutes or until the cake springs back when touched. Let it rest in the pan for ten minutes. After ten minutes, invert the cake onto a wire rack to cool. Store at room temperature.
For the Black Truffle Ice Cream
1 qt heavy cream
1 qt whole milk
14 oz granulated sugar
18 egg yolks
1 t salt
4 black truffles
Place the cream, milk, truffles and ½ of the sugar in a pot. Whisk the other ½ of the sugar and the salt with the yolks in a large bowl. Bring the cream and milk to a boil. Simmer for 5 minutes. Temper in the eggs and strain the mixture into a 4-quart container. Rinse off the truffles and set aside for later. Whisk the custard together and chill. This should be made at least a day in advance. Chop up the truffles and set aside. Freeze the custard in an ice cream machine according to the manufacturer’s instructions. After the ice cream comes out of the machine, fold in the chopped truffles. This recipe yields 2 quarts of ice cream.
For the Roasted Pears
2 Bosc pears
¼ c granulated sugar
½ c apple cider
Cut the pears in half and core them. Cut each half into two pieces. Set aside. Sprinkle the sugar over the bottom of a ten inch skillet. Add a splash of water and place over medium-high heat. When the sugar begins to turn caramelize, add the pear slices cut side down. Cook over medium-low heat until the pears feel tender. Turn them onto the other cut side and cook the same way. Finally, turn the pears onto the peel side and cook until they feel tender all the way through. Add the cider at any point when the pan starts to look dry. The pears can be cooked ahead and reheated when ready to serve.
To Serve
Slice the cake into ½ inch thick slices. Sprinkle with Fleur De Sel and heat in the oven. Reheat the pears at this time also. Serve warm with the Black Truffle Ice.
