84 AUGUST 2020
Almond and Plum Snack Cake
PHOTO P. 79
ACTIVE 20 MIN; TOTAL 3 HR 5 MIN
SERVES 12 TO 14This snack cake catches the eye with its
ripe red plums, toasted almonds, and glis-
tening sugary crust, but the tender cake
hidden underneath is the real star. The
moist cake has a tight, tender crumb
thanks to a trio of butter, sour cream, and
rich, sweet almond paste.11 / 2 cups plus 2 Tbsp. granulated sugar,
divided
11 / 4 cups unsalted butter (10 oz.),
softened
8 oz. almond paste, at room
temperature, crumbled (about 1
cup), divided
21 /^2 tsp. baking powder
11 / 2 tsp. kosher salt
1 tsp. grated lemon zest plus 2 tsp.
fresh lemon juice, divided
4 large eggs
1 cup sour cream
13 / 4 cups bleached cake flour (such as
Swans Down) (about 6^5 / 8 oz.)
1 cup all-purpose flour (about 4^1 / 4 oz.)
4 medium-size red plums, cut into^3 / 4 -
inch wedges (about 3 cups)
Cooking spray
1 / 2 cup sliced almonds (about 1^1 / 2 oz.)- Preheat oven to 350°F. Combine 1^1 / 2
cups sugar, butter,^1 / 2 cup almond paste,
baking powder, salt, and lemon zest in
bowl of a food processor. Process until
light, creamy, and smooth, about 45 sec-
onds. With processor running, add eggs, 1
at a time, incorporating fully after each
addition (mixture should look thick and
fluffy). Add sour cream, and process until
fully incorporated, about 30 seconds,
stopping to scrape bowl as needed. - Whisk together cake flour and all-
purpose flour in a large bowl. Add sugar
mixture to flour mixture; whisk just until
all dry ingredients are incorporated. Using
a rubber spatula, fold batter to thoroughly
combine ingredients. - Toss together plums and lemon juice in
a medium bowl; let stand 5 minutes. Line
a 13- x 9-inch baking pan with parchment
paper; lightly grease with cooking spray.
Spread batter in prepared pan, smooth-
ing top with an offset spatula. Sprinkle
remaining^1 / 2 cup crumbled almond paste
over batter. Arrange plums over top, and
sprinkle with almonds and remaining 2
tablespoons sugar. - Bake cake in preheated oven until
lightly browned and a wooden pick
inserted in center comes out clean, 45
to 50 minutes. Transfer cake in pan to a
wire rack, and let cool completely, about
2 hours. —MIRO USKOKOVIC, GRAMERCY
TAVERN, NEW YORK CITY
NOTE Almond paste can be found in the
baking aisle of most supermarkets.Birdseed Marshmallow
Crispy Treats
PHOTO P. 81
ACTIVE 15 MIN; TOTAL 50 MIN
SERVES 16Kim Alter’s “birdseed” mixture of puffed
grains, seeds, and nuts adds even more
layers of flavor to these updated classic
treats. Speed and cooking spray are the
keys when it comes to transferring the
sticky-sweet marshmallow mixture to the
pan without smashing it. The treats set
quickly as they cool, so a greased hand
will ensure evenly shaped, airy results.Cooking spray
4 cups organic puffed brown rice
cereal
13 / 4 cups mixed puffed grains (such as
quinoa, amaranth, kamut, or millet)
3 / 4 cup raw pepitas
1 / 2 cup salted roasted sunflower seed
kernels
1 / 3 cup poppy seeds
10 oz. marshmallows (about 7 cups)
3 Tbsp. unsalted butter
1 / 2 tsp. flaky sea salt- Line an 8-inch square baking pan with
parchment paper, leaving a 2-inch over-
hang on all sides. Coat with cooking
spray; set aside. Stir together brown rice
cereal, puffed grains, pepitas, sunflower
seed kernels, and poppy seeds in a large
bowl; set aside. - Combine marshmallows and butter in
a medium saucepan. Cook over medium,
stirring constantly, until mixture is melted
and smooth, 4 to 5 minutes. Immediately
pour marshmallow mixture over puffed
grain mixture in bowl; quickly stir until
cereal, grains, and seeds are evenly
coated. Transfer mixture to prepared pan.
Grease hands with cooking spray; press
mixture into an even layer in pan, smooth-
ing top. Sprinkle with flaky sea salt. Let
stand at room temperature at least 30
minutes or up to 2 hours. - Using parchment paper overhang as
handles, remove cereal mixture from pan.
Using a serrated knife, cut into 16 (2-inch)
squares. —KIM ALTER, NIGHTBIRD, SAN
FRANCISCO
MAKE AHEAD Crispy treats can be stored
in an airtight container up to 2 days.
NOTE Find puffed grains at health food
stores and on amazon.com.
ACTIVE 15 MIN; TOTAL 30 MIN, PLUS
8 HR FREEZING; SERVES 6Oven-roasted red grapes develop a con-
centrated, caramelized flavor; paired with
tequila, they give these purple ice pops a
grown-up twist. Use seedless grapes to
prevent the juice from turning bitter when
pureed.2 lb. stemmed seedless red grapes
(about 6 cups)
3 Tbsp. granulated sugar
2 / 3 cup water, divided
1 / 4 cup (2 oz.) blanco tequila
11 / 2 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice
1 / 2 tsp. kosher salt
6 Tbsp. thinly sliced seedless red
grapes (about 8 grapes) (optional)- Preheat oven to 425°F. Place whole
grapes in a single layer on a rimmed bak-
ing sheet. Sprinkle evenly with sugar, and
drizzle with^1 / 3 cup water. Bake in pre-
heated oven until grapes begin to burst
and sugar has dissolved, 15 to 20 min-
utes, stirring once after 10 minutes. - Transfer grape mixture and juices on
baking sheet to a food processor; pulse
until finely chopped and juicy, about 10
times. Using the back of a spoon, press
mixture through a medium wire-mesh
strainer into a bowl to yield about 1^1 / 3 cups
grape juice mixture; discard solids. Stir in
remaining^1 / 3 cup water. - Stir together grape juice mixture,
tequila, lemon juice, and salt in a mea-
suring cup with a spout. If using, place
1 tablespoon grape slices into each of 6
(3.3-oz.) paleta molds. Divide grape juice
mixture evenly among molds. Cover with
lid, and insert craft sticks. Freeze until
firm, at least 8 hours. —FANY GERSON, LA
NEWYORKINA, NEW YORK CITY
MAKE AHEAD Paletas can be stored in
freezer up to 1 month.
Chef Fany Gerson, of La Newyorkina in
New York City, served up a rotating selec-
tion of refreshing paletas, like these boozy
grape and tequila ice pops, at chef Natasha
Pickowicz’s Manhattan-based bake sale.