LogFAQs > #954181579

Far-Queue posted...

I didn't have pre-chopped pistachios so I had to chop a ton of them up. I wouldn't attempt this glaze again without pre-chopped on hand.

If you've got a food processor, you can do a decent job of chopping nuts by pulsing them in it (don't go for too long or you'll powder them). If not, putting them in a plastic bag and bashing them with a rolling pin works. In the absence of a rolling pin, a solid frying pan will also do the job (though that'll be more crushing than banging). I wouldn't chop by hand, unless it's a fairly small amount. Ain't nobody got time for that.

Far-Queue posted...

I like the idea of pistachio-lemon glaze and wouldn't want to omit the pistachio (I think the glaze needs something other than just lemon otherwise it would be lemon through and through).

Yeah, you'd definitely want something other than just plain lemon on top of lemon. If you didn't want to bother with adding something to it, you could have done a flavour other than lemon. A plain flat icing (icing sugar, add small amounts of water until you get to a good, thick pouring consistency) would work, some kind of flavoured syrup (big fan of lavender with lemon pound cake, especially if you throw some fresh blueberries on the plate as well), white chocolate ganache, jam, any other glaze... Lemon pound cake is quite versatile.

Far-Queue posted...

The rose water sounds like a good tip. I don't have any but I could pick some up.

It's a flavour that I quite like (I actually put some in my oatmeal this morning, along with dried apricots, honey, sliced almonds, and a pinch of caradamom), but it's not for everyone. Like most floral flavours, it's one you really have to be careful with because there's a very fine line between having it be completely drowned out and having the whole thing taste like you're eating a bouquet. It's worth experimenting with, just maybe experiment on a smaller scale before risking a whole cake (or just follow a recipe to the letter).

Far-Queue posted...

I have a hard time with cardamom. It's such a strong spice. Did these no-bake coconut cookies a couple weeks ago and threw in a bit of cardamom and it was too much. It was probably an eighth of a teaspoon but it was still overpowering lol

It can be a tricky one. When it's right, though, it's really a lovely flavour. Depending on what I'm doing, I'll sometimes grind my own (crack the pods, dump the seeds out, crush them in a mortar and pestle), and that just smells amazing. It's a ton of work, though, so usually I'll use pre-ground stuff (or whole pods, if suitable).

---

This is my signature. It exists to keep people from skipping the last line of my posts.