Little Honey, Orange and Pistachio Cakes

I like pistachios. I like pistachios a lot!! I think I'd  have to put pistachios within the top three of mt favourite nuts list...(if that even exists as a thing? ) And for that reason you'll often find me putting pistachios into whatever I bake as much as possible. 

These little beauties (are supposed to be little by the way) and are a bit like madeleines - for a dessert it's best to serve 2 per person, but they're actually best eaten on the day anyway, so get em' all eaten quick!! They've got a kinda Middle-Eastern style thing'y going on, and  makes a lovely light dessert served with lightly whipped cream, more chopped pistachios and a bit of orange zest - the perfect end to a three-course meal. 

Just be sure to grease your mini muffin tin holes ( fairy cake tin) really well because they don't require a muffin case and so you may have to get out your palette knife out after they're baked and give a quick release round the sides whilst still warm; all depending on how non-stick your tin is to be honest. Mine is quite old now, so it needed it. Well loved and well used from the good old classic fairy cake days - I remember those days fondly. When that's all my baking skills could just about fathom, adorned with shed loads of gooey glacé icing of course, and how could we forget those hundreds and thousands... I remember when Barbie had a special edition! As you can imagine, they were ever so exciting for my eight year old self at the time. Who could blame me either? What's not to love about pretty pink flower sprinkles? Exactly.   

Just before I go onto the recipe I'd like to quickly add that I'm on the shortlist for this year's Pink Lady Food Photographer of The Year competition, with my entry being in the young 15-17 category. If you enjoy my food photography and would be kind enough to pop on over to this link and hit the vote button for 'Frances Cope' (that's me!) You'll have to scroll right down to the bottom as us young'ens are last! It's for the People's Choice Award 2016 and my entry is a Handful Of Raspberries, I'd greatly appreciate it. Thanks! :) 

Little Honey,  Orange  and  Pistachio  Cakes

Makes 12

Recipe slightly adapted from 'delicious magazine online'

Ingredients:

75g unsalted butter, plus extra for greasing 2 medium free-range eggs 40g caster sugar 3 tbsp clear honey (orange blossom is best), plus extra to serve 75g plain flour 40g pistachios, chopped, plus extra to serve 1 orange Double cream to serve

Method

Preheat the oven to 190°C/ 375°F/gas 5. Grease 12 x 25ml mini muffin tins (fairy cake tin). Melt the butter and set aside to cool. 
Using an electric hand mixer, whisk the eggs, caster sugar and honey until the mixture is very thick. When lifted out, the beaters should leave a trail that sits on the surface for a few seconds - ribbon stage. 
In batches, sift the flour on to the egg mixture and fold in gently. Carefully fold in the pistachios, orange zest and cooled melted butter. Fill the muffin tins with the mixture and bake for 8-10 minutes. Turn out onto a wire rack. Squeeze the juice from the orange all over the cakes and leave to soak in for a few minutes. Serve with lightly whipped cream on the side, a sprinkle of the pistachios and some drizzled honey. Best eaten on the day, although you can store them at room temperature in an air tight container.