I bought some Fiori di Sicilia at the Savory Spice Shop before I left on my road trip. I wanted to highlight this VERY floral extract that is traditionally used in pannetone and pandoro. I’m not a huge fan of pannetone, but I could not resist the floral notes in this extract.
I finally used it with berries with great success. It took me several attempts to get this recipe right. I quickly learned that a little fiori de sicilia goes a long way, so make sure not to over do it. You can substitute vanilla or even almond extract but you might want to increase it to another 1 tsp. Another great use for fiori de sicilia is to add a bit to whipped cream and serve it with a bowl of fresh summer fruits. Next, I will be trying it in panna cotta.
Raspberry & Blueberry Upside Down Cake
2 sticks of butter, at room temperature
2/3 cup sugar
4 eggs, beaten
2/3 cup flour
1 cup almond flour or ground almonds, divided
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 cup buttermilk
1 cup blueberries
1 cup raspberries
1/4 tsp. Fiori di Sicilia (or 1 tsp. vanilla or almond extract.)
Grease a 9 1/2 inch springform pan with nonstick cooking spray and then line it with parchment paper.
Cream the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. Add the eggs and blend well. Add the 1/2 cup of the almond flour and the regular flour, baking powder and then buttermilk. Finally add the extract of your choice. Mix until evenly blended. The batter will look a little curdled.
Sprinkle the remaining almond flour on top of the parchment. Scatter the berries all over the pan. Pour the batter on top and spread lightly with a knife. Bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for 35 to 45 minutes. Allow to cool. Remove the sides of the pan and invert the cake onto a cake plate. Gently pull the parchment off. Sprinkle with confectioners sugar and serve with whipped cream or ice cream.
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