Rosemary Pound Cakes With Port-Soaked Dried Fruits
This delightful recipe brings together a medley of mixed dried fruits, aromatic spices, and a touch of port wine to create miniature loaf cakes that are bursting with flavor. The fruits are simmered in a fragrant syrup, while a hint of rosemary-infused butter adds a unique twist. Perfect as a festive treat or a special gift, these pound cakes are a delightful indulgence to enjoy with loved ones.
— Constant Cookbook
Ingredients
- 2 cups mixed dried fruits, such as cranberries, figs and apricots
- 8 juniper berries
- 1 tsp. black peppercorns
- 1 cup port
- 1 2/3 cups sugar
- 2 cinnamon sticks
- Nonstick cooking spray
- 16 Tbs. (2 sticks) unsalted butter
- 4 small fresh rosemary sprigs
- 1 1/4 cups cake flour
- 1/4 tsp. baking powder
- 1/2 tsp. salt
- 3 eggs, at room temperature
- 3 egg yolks, at room temperature
- 1/2 tsp. pure vanilla extract
Instructions
- Cut any large dried fruits into bite-size pieces. Enclose the juniper berries and peppercorns in a tea ball and place in a saucepan. Add the port, 2/3 cup of the sugar and the cinnamon sticks and bring to a simmer over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally. Add the dried fruits and simmer for 5 minutes. Remove from the heat, cover and set aside for at least 1 hour.
- Preheat an oven to 350°F. Spray three 5 3/4-by-3 1/8-inch miniature loaf pans with nonstick cooking spray.
- In a small saucepan over medium-low heat, melt the butter. Remove from the heat, add 3 of the rosemary sprigs, cover and let stand for 15 minutes. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve; discard the rosemary.
- While the rosemary steeps, pluck the leaves from the remaining rosemary sprig and coarsely chop the leaves. In a bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt and chopped rosemary.
- Using a stand mixer on medium-high speed, beat the whole eggs, egg yolks and vanilla until combined. Add the remaining 1 cup sugar and beat until pale and thick, about 3 minutes. Reduce the speed to low and add the dry ingredients in 2 batches, mixing only until a few dry streaks remain. Raise the mixer speed to medium-low and drizzle in the rosemary-infused butter. Increase the speed to medium and beat until combined. Scrape the batter into the prepared loaf pans, dividing it evenly.
- Bake the cakes until domed, brown around the edges and a cake tester inserted into the centers comes out clean, about 40 minutes. Let cool in the pans for 5 minutes, then invert the cakes onto a wire rack, turn them right sides up and let cool completely.
- To serve, slice the pound cakes and serve with the port-soaked dried fruits. Serves 8 or 9.
- Adapted from Williams-Sonoma <i>New Flavors for Desserts</i>, by Raquel Pelzel (Oxmoor House, 2008).
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