Strawberry Orange Salad With Cardamom Syrup Recipes

STRAWBERRY ORANGE SALAD WITH CARDAMOM SYRUP

Steps:

• To prepare the syrup: Lightly crush the cardamom pods with a mortar and pestle or the back of a knife. Not too small as they will be strained from the syrup.
• Place water, sugar and cardamom in a small saucepan. Heat on medium for 2 or 3 minutes until the sugar is melted and the cardamom begins to infuse the simple syrup. You should not have any bubbling and the syrup should be translucent. Remove from heat and set aside.
• To prepare the salad: Wash and hull the strawberries. Halve or quarter the berries and place in bowl.
• Take the oranges and trim the tops so they will sit nicely on your cutting board. Trim down the side of the orange with a knife to remove the peel and all visible pith (white part. You are trying to keep as much of the orange flesh on the fruit. Split the orange in half and trim out white in the center. Cut orange halves into 4 to 6 segments depending on the size of the fruit. Place oranges in the bowl with the strawberries.
• Pour the syrup over the fruit salad and stir.
• Chill for a minimum of 30 minutes. If you are chilling longer, periodically mix to make sure all the fruit is in good contact with the syrup.
• Serve.

ORANGES IN CARDAMOM SYRUP

Steps:

• Using vegetable peeler, remove 5-inch-long strip of peel from 1 navel orange; reserve. Using knife, cut off remaining peel and white pith from oranges. Cut oranges lengthwise in half, then crosswise into 1/3-inch-thick slices; place slices in bowl.
• Using mortar and pestle, grind cardamom to break open pods and pulverize black seeds and husks, yielding about 1/2 teaspoon crushed cardamom. Transfer cardamom and reserved orange peel strip to heavy medium saucepan. Add 3 cups water, sugar, lemon peel, and cinnamon stick; bring to boil. Reduce heat to low; simmer until mixture is reduced to 1 cup, about 50 minutes. Cool syrup 10 minutes. Strain, discarding solids in strainer.
• Pour warm syrup over oranges and chill at least 6 hours or overnight.

STRAWBERRY AND CREAM CAKE WITH CARDAMOM SYRUP

Steps:

• Make cake layers:
• Put oven racks in upper and lower thirds of oven and preheat oven to 350°F. Butter cake pans. Line bottom of each with a round of parchment paper, then butter parchment and dust cake pans with flour, knocking out excess.
• Whisk together yolks, 1 cup sugar, milk, vanilla, and zest in a large bowl until smooth. Whisk in flour and salt until combined (batter will be thick).
• Beat whites with a pinch of salt in a bowl using an electric mixer at medium-high speed until they just hold soft peaks. Add remaining 1/2 cup sugar, a little at a time, beating at medium speed, and continue to beat until whites hold stiff glossy peaks, about 2 minutes more.
• Fold about one third of whites into batter to lighten, then fold in remaining whites gently but thoroughly.
• Divide batter among cake pans and bake, switching position of cake pans halfway through baking, until cakes are springy to the touch and a wooden pick or skewer inserted in center of each comes out clean, 20 to 25 minutes. Cool cakes in pans on racks 10 minutes, then invert onto racks. Carefully peel off parchment, then cool cakes completely.
• Make syrup while cakes cool:
• Bring wine, sugar, and cardamom to a boil in a 1-quart heavy saucepan, stirring until sugar is dissolved, then boil until reduced to about 1 cup, 6 to 8 minutes. Strain syrup through a fine-mesh sieve and cool completely.
• Make filling once cakes and syrup are cool:
• Beat together heavy cream, sour cream, sugar, and vanilla in a bowl with cleaned beaters until cream just holds stiff peaks.
• Assemble cake:
• Prick cake layers all over with wooden pick or skewer, then brush or pour syrup, little by little, evenly over each layer, letting syrup be absorbed before adding more.
• Transfer 1 layer (flat side up) to a cake stand or plate, then spread with a rounded cup of cream. Arrange some sliced strawberries in 1 layer over cream. Turn second layer over and spread a thin layer of cream over top, then place it, with the aid of a spatula, cream side down, over layer of strawberries. Continue making layers with cream, strawberries, and cake in same manner. Spread top with remaining cream and decorate with remaining strawberries.