I don’t recall how Maureen Abood and I first met — one of those serendipitous internet things, I suppose — but I have email correspondence with her dating back 13 years (!).
I do remember immediately feeling a kinship with her, especially after learning that her Lebanese grandmother was Sitto to her — grandmother in Arabic; mine has always been Sitti to me. Our email messages are marked by Maureen’s warmth, generosity of spirit, kindness, and the sense that everyone is welcome in her kitchen. All of that is baked into her food writing, too.
On her website, you’ll find recipes, yes, but also a how-to section with advice for making homemade yogurt, chopping parsley (one of my most dreaded kitchen tasks), shaping hand pies so they stay closed, clarifying butter, and dozens of other topics. She’s eager to share what she knows — and she wants you to be as delighted by this food as she is. She also has strong opinions (compliment) about hummus.
I loved her cookbook Rose Water & Orange Blossoms — and I recommended it in our podcast episode Lebanon: Surrender to the Call of the Mijwiz. In that collection, she shares joyous stories about her family’s relationship to food, her life-changing trip to Lebanon, and the beloved grandmother who taught her to cook. The recipes are everything you’d hope: perfect hummus, kibbeh, potato salad with mint, lamb kofta, chicken soup. You’ll immediately want to stock up on chickpeas, garlic, yogurt, dates, and lemons.
I’m delighted to share that Maureen has just released a new cookbook — Lebanese Baking — and it is beautiful. Maureen’s trademark storytelling are there, as is her ‘let me show you how to do it’ approach. And the photography! It’s so vivid and warm, you’ll smell the melted butter and hear the crackle of the crisp baklava that’s just been pulled from the oven.
All the signature desserts are here: baklava diamonds and spirals and nests, and cookies fragrant with apricots, dates, sesame, and pistachios. There are savory treats including yeasty pita, flat breads topped with cheese or mint yogurt, and olive-oil infused garlic knots.
In the ‘too much is just the right amount’ category, she’s created luscious riffs on traditional confections: baklava cheese cake, orange blossom caramel rolls, and a gift from her to all of us, the Pistachio Cupcakes with Strawberry Rose Water Buttercream below. As she writes in the cookbook:
Miette Bakery in San Francisco launched my obsession with cupcakes that stand tall with thick layers of buttercream. Frosting-haters will say that too much buttercream is too much, but they haven’t tasted my buttercream! These cupcakes have a gorgeous combination of green and pink: pistachios and roses. In cakes and cookies, pistachios often get lost in the shuffle, but in this light cake, a whisper of almond extract enhances their flavor. Here I present my own cupcake of the highest order, Miette-inspired.
Makes 22. Prep 20 minutes. Cook 20 minutes. Cool: 36 minutes.
Cupcakes:
Buttercream:
Arrange an oven rack in the middle position and preheat the oven to 350F (177C). Line the wells of one or more cupcake tins with 22 foil liners. In a nut grinder or food processor, finely grind the pistachios.
Make the cupcakes. In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the cake flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and 180 grams (1 1/2 cups) of the ground pistachios. Set aside.
In the large bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter on medium speed until smooth, 1 minute. Add 200 grams (1 cup) of the sugar and beat on medium speed until light and fluffy, 1 minute.
Stop to scrape down the bowl with a soft spatula. Add the egg whites, vanilla extract, and almond extract. Continue beating for 1 minute.
Stop the mixer, add the yogurt, and continue beating until well combined, 1 minute. The batter will appear slightly separated.
Stop, add the dry ingredients, and mix on low speed just until everything incorporates, 30 seconds.
Stop to scrape down the bowl again, add the milk, and continue mixing just until the batter becomes smooth, 15 seconds. Don’t overmix.
Divide the batter evenly among the cupcake liners, filling each no more than two-thirds full (60 grams).
Bake until the top of the cakes bounce back when pressed and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, 18 to 20 minutes. In the pan, let the cupcakes cool enough to handle, about 6 minutes. Transfer them, in their liners, to a cooling rack and let them cool completely, 30 minutes.
Meanwhile, mix the remaining 15 grams (2 tablespoons) of ground pistachios with the remaining 12 grams (1 tablespoon) of sugar in a small mixing bowl and set aside.
Make the buttercream. In a food processor, pulverize the strawberries to a powder. Into the large bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, sift the powder through a fine mesh strainer and discard any strained seeds. Add the butter and cream cheese and beat the mixture on medium speed until smooth, 1 minute.
Stop to scrape down the bowl. With the mixer on low speed, add the confectioners’ sugar, 120 grams (1 cup) at a time, mixing until each addition combines fully. Add the vanilla and rose water and continue mixing to combine. Add the milk, 14 grams (1 tablespoon) at a time, until a smooth, light buttercream forms.
Fill the piping bag with the buttercream. To pipe, hold the tip perpendicular to the cupcake, in the center, and 1/2 inch (1.5 cm) from the top. Squeeze 40 grams (2 ounces) of buttercream on each cupcake. Dust each cupcake with a pinch of the reserved pistachio mixture. Serve immediately.
Notes:
Made ahead of time, the buttercream holds well refrigerated for up to 1 week or frozen for up to 3 months. To thaw from frozen, refrigerate it overnight, bring it to room temperature, and stir until smooth.
You can store the cupcakes in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days or frozen for up to 2 months.
Tips:
It’s easier to separate cold eggs. Separate cold eggs first, then bring the whites to room temperature.
Foil cupcake liners work best here and for any cupcakes with a thick layer of buttercream. Foil liners handle the weight and hold the shape better than paper liners. Don’t fill the liners past two-thirds full, otherwise the cakes may spill over when baking.
If you don’t want to pipe the frosting, spoon it or apply it with a soft spatula.
Variation:
You can make this recipe into a layer cake or large round cake. Use two 8 or 9-inch (20- or 23-cm) round or square cake pans or one 10-inch (25-cm) cake pan coated with oil and flour and lined with parchment paper on the bottom. If using more than one pan, divide the batter evenly between them. Bake at 350F (177C) for 20 to 25 minutes.
Top image courtesy of ali hamada/Unsplash.
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