Monday, February 13, 2012

I love Cardamom

Cardamom (or cardamon) refers to several plants of the genera Elettaria and Amomum in the ginger family Zingiberaceae. Both genera are native to India and Bhutan; they are recognised by their small seed pod, triangular in cross-section and spindle-shaped, with a thin papery outer shell and small black seeds. The word cardamom is derived from the Latin cardamomum. It is the third most expensive spice in the world, outstripped in terms of its market value by only saffron and vanilla. Cardamom has a strong, unique taste, with an intensely aromatic, resinous fragrance. Cardamom is best stored in pod form because once the seeds are exposed or ground they quickly lose their flavor.

 


My dear friend Eliza made this Beetroot Cake with Cardamom Frosting with me. We picked beets from my garden and added more cardamom than the recipe specified. Yay!

Please Eliza, can you post the recipe?

1 comment:

  1. Chocolate and Beetroot Cake with Cardamom Frosting

    INGREDIENTS
    200g (about 2) trimmed fresh beetroot bulbs
    1/4 cup cocoa powder
    1/4 cup hot water
    1 cup firmly packed brown sugar
    2 eggs lightly whisked
    1/2 cup milk
    1/4 cup vegetable oil
    1 tsp vanilla essence
    1 1/2 cups self-raising flour
    Melted butter to grease pan

    Cardamom Frosting

    1 cup pure icing sugar
    Pinch of ground cardamom (we added more!)
    4 1/2 tsp milk

    METHOD
    1. Preheat oven to 180 degrees. Grease and line a 7cm deep, 11x21cm loaf pan.

    2. Peel beetroot bulbs then use a grater to finely shred. Set aside.

    3. Place cocoa and hot water in a medium bowl and stir until smooth. Add the sugar and eggs and beat these until smooth with a wooden spoon. Stir in beetroot.

    4. Combine the milk, oil and vanilla essence in a jug. Use a metal spoon to fold half the flour and then half the milk mixture into the beetroot mixture. Repeat with the remaining flour and milk mixture.

    5. Pour the cake mixture into the prepared pan. Bake in a preheated oven for 55-60 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the centre of the cake comes out clean. Set aside for 5 minutes and then turn onto a wire rack to cool.

    6. To make the cardamom frosting, use a wooden spoon to mix icing sugar, cardamom and milk in a small bowl until smooth. Spread over the top of cooled cake and set aside for 15 minutes.

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