Go Slow, By Candlelight: Pine Nut and Pistachio Olive Oil Cakes

In the dark morning hour before the rest of the house awakes, I have been lighting a candle or two and either just listening to the world wake up with all of its little rustlings and song, or reading a peaceful book. This little ritual has infused a glowing coziness to my day, one that puts me at peace for later writing or working patiently on detailed artwork. What a gift of coziness and hygge, for the price of one little candle! (Not even that, for me, as these lovely candles were a get-well gift from a family friend and a kind follower.) 

Winter needs this slowness. I take the time to notice the first light of dawn illuminating the rosebush outside my window, still covered in bright red rosehips and rustling with little quail as they, too, sense the imminent arrival of the sun. With the soft and flickering warmth of the candles on one side and the blue-grey tones of pre-dawn chill on the other, I feel delightfully cozy, bundled into my blankets with an electric heating pad warming my back. There is no big rush to get moving in these glowing moments, just a satisfied smile at the deep sense of peace I am feeling. What a wonderful thing to experience first thing in the morning on these chilly winter days. 

I try to hold onto that feeling of peace and gentleness as much as I can throughout the day. From a walk in the brisk landscape, all bundled up in lots of long underwear, to the hot drinks when I return, I feel the winter magic sparkling around me. The way to survive the long, dark winters of the North is to surrender to them, to find pleasure in the contrasts and to imbue your time inside with simple coziness. From cracking foraged pine nuts in front of the fireplace to grinding up spices by hand in a mortar and pestle, It really doesn’t take much to connect to that seasonal magic. Turning a house into a cozy cocoon for the holiday season can be wonderfully simple. Light some candles. Put a pot of water with some cinnamon sticks and orange peels on the stove to gently boil, releasing an irresistibly warm scent. Bring in some conifer branches in a garland or vase to bring the fresh fragrance of the outdoors in. Bake an easy cake and give yourself the luxury of time to decorate it to your heart’s content. 

I love having some kind of hearty treat on-hand for any guests that may come by in the chill of winter. Even better if it’s something I can bake while still in that glowy candle-lit state. These pine nut and pistachio olive oil cakes take just moments to whip together, giving you ample time to decorate the tops with a mandala or design made of various nuts. Light a candle, sit down, and let your creativity enjoy the peace of a winter morning. 

This recipe is for two cakes, perhaps one to share and one to gift (or freeze until later). This cake gets its sweetness from honey and stays moist far longer than more modern recipes thanks to the olive oil and the citrus syrup poured overtop when it is warm out of the oven. Even several days later it is still delicious with a cup of hot tea or cocoa. This cake holds a little extra magic, too: it stretches very far back in history, connecting us through flavor to ancient rituals and civilizations. I love knowing that this cake is based on recipes that go back back thousands of years, when such cakes were offered as gifts to the Gods in thanks by the ancient Greeks and Romans. Even before this time, ancient Egyptians are thought to have baked similar confections, based on the illustrations found inside tombs. Archaeologists have interpreted the ingredients drawn there as flour, eggs, honey, dates and nuts. The roots of this cake stretch back further than I can even comprehend. How many others have enjoyed its richness by candlelight? How many houseguests welcomed with such a nutty delight? 

Make the process of baking this cake more than another task or chore. Allow it to be a practice in peace and connection. Perhaps you, too, will work by candlelight and leave your window cracked to hear the bright chirps of birds start up as the sky ever-so-gradually lightens. Perhaps you too will feel the echoes of history in your hands as you stir up the batter, grateful both for ancient traditions and modern technology. Perhaps you, too, will feel connected to the past stories, the present senses, and the future gatherings that are all stirred up in this simple cake. 

Serve this cake warm or at room temperature. It makes a decadent breakfast when paired with some rich Greek-style yogurt or fresh fruit, but is equally appealing as a mid-afternoon snack or show-stopping dessert. 

Pine nut and Pistachio Olive Oil Cakes (recipe makes 2)

3/4 c. ground pine nuts

1 1/2 c. almond flour

1 1/2 c. ground raw pistachios

2 1/2 c. polenta (fine, not coarse)

zest and juice from 2 oranges

1 1/4 c. honey

1 3/4 c. olive oil

8 eggs

Glaze: 

Juice from 2 oranges (about 1/2 c.) 

Juice from 1/2 lime

1 1/2 c. honey

Various nuts, to decorate. 

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350F and prepare two 9” cake pans by greasing them lightly with olive oil and placing a parchment paper round in the bottom, then lightly grease that too. 

2. Stir together the ground nuts, almond flour, and polenta in a large bowl.

3. In another bowl, whisk together the orange juice and zest, honey, olive oil, and eggs. 

4. Pour the wet mixture into the polenta mixture and stir until combined. Pour into cake pans. 

5. Bake for 25-35 minutes, or until a skewer comes out clean. Just before removing the cakes from the oven, whisk together the glaze ingredients. 

6. Immediately after removing the cakes from the oven, pour the glaze over the top. Let sit for at least an hour for the glaze to soak in before removing from pans. 

7. Decorate as desired with an assortment of nuts. 

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