Blue Cayenne

Directions

• Step 1 Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.
• Step 2 Grease and line a springform pan with either parchment or a Silpat. I just purchased a Silpat (8 inch round) and it worked beautifully for this cake.
• Step 3 Spread raw pistachios on a sheetpan and roast in a 325 degree F. oven for about 8 minutes. Remove and cool. Once cool, process the pistachios in a food processor until they are a fine-ground flour. (Be careful not to overprocess or you will have pistachio butter!)
• Step 4 Turn oven temperature up to 350 degrees F.
• Step 5 Put egg yolks into a large bowl along with all but 2 T. of the 3/4 C. of raw sugar. Whisk until the yolks turn a light yellow color and the mixture thickens. Whisk in the almond extract and a pinch of kosher salt. Set this mixture aside while you beat the egg whites.
• Step 6 Put egg whites into the bowl of your stand mixer. Using the whisk attachment, whisk the egg whites until they are combined. Sprinkle in the 2 T. of raw sugar that you have remaining and whisk the mixture until it forms medium peaks.
• Step 7 Go back to your bowl of egg yolks. Stir the mixture briefly to reincorporate the sugar crystals from the raw sugar into the frothy egg yolks. Mix about 1/4 of the beaten egg whites into the egg yolk mixture. Add the remainder of the beaten egg whites and fold gently to combine being careful not to fold the second portion of  beaten egg whites too vigorously or you will lose some of the rise they give to your cake.Add half the pistachio flour to this mixture and, using a spatula, fold to combine. Then, fold in the other half of the pistachio flour.
• Step 8 Spoon the batter into your prepared springform pan. Smooth the top of the batter.
• Step 9 Bake for 30 minutes at 350 degrees F. Your cake is done when the top of the pistachio cake is golden and is firm when lightly pressed. Remove from oven and cool on a wire rack for about 5 minutes. Run a knife around the edges  of the cake to release it from the sides of the springform pan. Once you have removed the sides of the springform pan, run a knife under the bottom of the cake to loosen it a bit. Invert the cake onto a rack and remove the Silpat liner (or parchment) from the bottom of the cake. Re-invert the cake back onto a serving plate. Dust with powdered sugar after the cake is totally cooled.
• Step 10 Cook’s Note: This recipe makes generous use of almond extract. I love almond flavor, but if you don’t, you may want to cut the quantity used in this recipe.