Maury's Nut Shop Cake

So...this is a Fiori di Sicilia Pine Nut Cake. You know, whenever humans give food a name I can't pronounce, I assume they're compensating for something. Fiori di Sicilia. Sounds less like dessert and more like a place where squirrels get kicked out for loitering. Okay...that's actually...pretty amazing. Vanilla...citrus...something floral. It's like somebody bottled springtime and convinced it to become cake. Pine nuts, huh? Now you're speaking my language. Eggs, condensed milk...that's why it's so dense. Not heavy…just...confident. Whoa. That's not regular cake. It's got this marzipan thing going on. Soft, rich, almost melts before you even have to chew it. Which is dangerous. See, acorns are dependable. Walnuts? Respectable. But pine nuts? Pine nuts are what squirrels save for special occasions. And that Fiori di Sicilia...it doesn't scream. It just sneaks up behind the vanilla and says, 'Mind if I make this unforgettable?' Honestly, I hate when fancy ingredients actually deserve the hype. Because now I have to admit somebody knew what they were doing. Listen...if anyone asks, I only took one bite. And if another squirrel tells you they saw me licking the plate...they're lying.

Ingredients

  • 1 1/4 cups pine nuts

  • 1/4 tsp kosher salt

  • 2 eggs

  • 1/2 tsp vanilla

  • 1/4 tsp fiori di sicillia

  • 1 14 oz can sweetened condensed milk

  • 2 tbs confectioner sugar

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.

  2. Grease a 9 inch round pan and line with greased and floured parchment paper.

  3. Place pine nuts, salt, vanilla, fiori di sicillia, and sweetened condensed milk in a blender. Blend until smooth. Pour batter into pan.

  4. Bake for 40 minutes and allow to rest for 10 minutes before removing the cake to cool completely on a wire rack. Once cooled, dust with confectioner sugar.

  5. Serve.