Persian love cakes for Valentine's Day

A more romantic, shmooshy recipe for Valentine's Day you will not find. Blessed with pistachios, a gorgeous drizzling of rose water-yoghurt icing and a story as beautiful as their looks, these little baby cakes have everything going for them. 

While the internet seems to be failing me on the story behind this recipe - there are numerous versions of the recipe itself as well as how it got it's name, So I'm going to pick my favourite. In the name of Valentine's Day... 

Once upon a time, there was a beautiful woman who's heart yearned for the love of a handsome Persian prince. And because we all know the way to a man's heart is through his stomach, she baked him a spiced, fragrant cake in the hopes that at the first taste, he would fall hopelessly in love with her...

Whether or not he did indeed fall in love with her, is a mystery, but if it were up to my tastebuds, I'd have married that woman on the spot. 

So if you are in need of a little baked magic to make your prince fall in love with you, give this recipe a try. 

But if the cake doesn't work, remember... Forget love, and rather fall in chocolate. 

Persian love cakes

If you're not a fan of rose water, these cakes would be equally delicious with a glaze made from orange blossom water or lemon zest. 

Makes 14

100g blanched almonds

100g pistachios

1/2 tsp ground cardamom

1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

150g butter, cubed

225g self-raising flour

185g castor sugar

3 eggs

225ml full cream plain yoghurt

Icing

100ml full cream plain yoghurt

2 cups icing sugar, sifted

Squeeze of lemon juice

Few drops of rose water, to taste

Preheat the oven to 180C. Grease and flour 14 small cannele or mini bundt molds (alternatively make a 20cm cake). 

Place the almonds and pistachios in a food processor and process until fine. Add the cardamom, cinnamon, butter, flour and sugar and process until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs. 

Transfer to a bowl and combine with the eggs and yoghurt. 

Spoon into the prepared molds and bake for 20-25 minutes or until the cakes are springy to the touch and a skewer inserted comes out clean. 

Allow to cool slightly then turn out and cool completely. 

Trim the tops off the cakes so they can stand straight. 

For the icing, combine the yoghurt, icing sugar and rose water to form a glaze then drizzle over the cakes. 

Decorate with crushed pistachios and crystallized rose petals, if desired. 

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SHAKE AND BAKE
Because there is only one thing better than cake, and that's cake with a glass of a little something, I'll be posting my suggestions on what you should be drinking while tucking into that slice. 

DRINK THIS Lanique and Bubbles
Lanique is a fragrant spirit made from distilled rose petals and who's history and story is as romantic as the cake which I have paired it with. It's delicious in a gin and tonic, but a dry bubbly brings out it's floral characteristics and is just plain yummy with the pistachios and cardamom in the cake. 

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OTHER RECIPES YOU MIGHT LIKE:
Chocolate fondant (liquid-centred chocolate pudding)
One-cup yoghurt cake with passionfruit frosting
Red velvet raspberry sweetie pies

Red Velvet Raspberry Sweetie Pies

South African's have a serious soft spot for sweetie pies (around the world they're known as cutie pies, wagon wheels, moon pies or mallow puffs). But whatever you choose to call them, their squishy marshmallowy centres covered in a thin layer of chocolate will turn anyone to mush. I don't know about you, but I love them for the fact that sharing is not an option, the treat is designed for a solo indulgence(best done in the car on the way home so you can hide the wrapper and no one will know!). I'll also add that everyone has their own technique for eating a sweetie pie - mine being to bite off a piece then use my finger to dig out all the marshmallow inside before devouring the remnants.

But now that the original has been discontinued here in South Africa (my sincerest condolences if this is news to you...) you'll now have to get your fix by making your own. I thought outside the cake box and added a red velvet spin to mine, with some bright raspberries swirled in for good measure. The red hue transforms this childhood favourite into a sexy little red number, perfect to make for your sweetie.

In the spirit of a different kind of luuuurve, my super-talented sister and I teamed up to do this very special post. Sarah-Jane from Art Strings has transformed my boring recipe text into the most beautiful illustration so feast your eyes before you feast on the sweetie pies!  

And just incase, here is the boring recipe text...

Red velvet raspberry sweetie pies

Makes 20

2 egg whites

1/2 cup castor sugar

1 tsp liquid glucose

1 tsp vanilla extract

few drops red gel food colouring

¼ cup raspberry puree

20 fresh raspberries

20 round biscuits or wafers

250g dark chocolate, melted

Whisk the egg whites in a heatproof glass or metal bowl until soft peak stage. Add the castor sugar gradually until the meringue turns glossy. Place the bowl over a pot of gently simmering water and beat the meringue on high until the mixture feels hot to the touch (or 60C on a thermometer). Then add the liquid glucose. Remove the bowl from the heat transfer to a new bowl and beat on high until cool. Fold in the vanilla, red colouring and raspberry puree then place in a piping bag. Pipe a swirl onto each biscuit, insert a raspberry into the middle then finish piping more marshmallow on top. Dip the sweetie pies in chocolate and allow to set on a wire cake rack.

TIP The marshmallow fluff can be stored in a jar in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.

Remember to hop on over to Facebook and like my page for recipes and sweet stuff. I also tweet about some cool things every now and then and Instagram my bakes (if I remember to snap them before I devour them!) 

If you LOVE the illustrations as much as I do and require custom creations, you can contact Sarah by emailing artstrings.creations@gmail.com