My little sister is expecting her first child - a baby girl - that we will welcome amidst our family come May. As customary, a baby shower was organized as a rite of passage to celebrate the expectant mom-to-be by showering her with gifts and spending time together. Baby showers as we know them today, are rather recent and became popular in America in the late 1940s and the 1950s, as post-war women were expecting the Baby Boom generation. However, different cultures throughout history, celebrated pregnancy and childbirth with ancient celebrations and rituals.
In ancient and modern India, a pregnancy ritual has been followed since the Vedic ages: an event called Simantha, held in the 7th or 8th month. The mother-to-be is showered with dry fruits, sweets, and other gifts that help the baby's growth. A musical event to please the baby's ears is the highlight of the ritual, as it was common knowledge that the baby's ears would start functioning within the womb. The ritual prays for a healthy baby and mother, as well as a happy delivery and motherhood.[1]
To commemorate this special and magical period of mom-to-be, we ventured into a creative maternity photo shoot, which resulted in some beautiful dreamy frames. The romantic white blossoms of wild plum trees were at the peak of their opulent blooming.
Concerning food, the celebrations and rituals are designed to fulfill the desires or food cravings of the mom-to-be. These usually include fresh and dry fruits, sweets, and nuts. With this in mind, I’ve prepared a luxurious no-bake pistachio ganache cake garnished with fresh raspberries, pistachios, and Japanese quince blossoms. It is a straightforward no-bake cake recipe, that can easily be adapted to a gluten-free version, if so inclined.
Ingredients:
Crust:
200g digestive cookies (substitute for ground walnuts, pistachios, or sprouted baked buckwheat, if you would like a gluten-free version)
100g walnuts
180g butter
Cream filling:
300g mascarpone
200g sour cream
200g Greek yogurt
250g heavy cream
200g white chocolate (best quality you can find)
Pistachio ganache:
200g pistachio nut butter or paste
250g heavy cream
200g white chocolate (best quality you can find)
To garnish:
pistachios, raspberries, Japanese quince blossoms
Preparation:
Begin by lining a 20 cm (8 inch) springform pan with butter on the base and around the sides. Set aside.
Ground the digestive cookies (or gluten-free substitute, such as walnuts, pistachios, or sprouted baked buckwheat) and walnuts until coarse crumbs in a food processor. Add melted butter and stir to incorporate. If you are not using digestive cookies, add a pinch of salt. Put the mixture into the springform and distribute it evenly into the base. Use a glass to press down firmly. Place the crust in the refrigerator to chill while you prepare the filling.
In a bain marie melt the white chocolate. Use the best quality you can get. Meanwhile, beat heavy cream until stiff in a medium mixing bowl. Gently incorporate mascarpone, Greek yogurt, sour cream, and melted white chocolate. Stir gently until well combined. Spoon the filling into the springform pan on top of the prepared crust and spread evenly. Place in the refrigerator.
While the cake is chilling, prepare the pistachio ganache topping. If buying pistachio nut butter, look for one with 100% pure pistachios without added artificial flavors, sugars, or food coloring. You can also make homemade pistachio nut butter. First lightly roast the pistachios, which will help release their oils. Then keep processing in a food processor until you get a smooth cream. Depending on the food processor, it can take up to 20 minutes to achieve this. Start by pulsing to break down the nuts, then process on high until you reach a paste consistency. Stop every few minutes to scrape down the sides of the bowl where pistachio crumbs collect, and continue processing until you reach a creamy paste.
Heat the heavy cream in a saucepan over medium heat and bring to a simmer. Meanwhile, finely chop the white chocolate. For best results, use the best quality available. Add the chocolate to the hot heavy cream and stir until smooth. Add the pistachio paste and stir again to incorporate. Allow the pistachio ganache to cool to room temperature before pouring it over the cake. Distribute pistachio ganache evenly on top of the cake or make swirls to incorporate it slightly into the cream filling. The ganache should not be hot, but should still be runny. If the ganache will get too cold, it will firm up too much.
Place the pistachio ganache cake in the refrigerator to chill and set for at least 4 hours, ideally overnight.
When set completely, gently scrape the sides with a sharp knife, and remove the high-sided band of the springform. Garnish the sides with ground pistachios. On top, garnish with fresh raspberries, ground or whole pistachios, and Japanese quince blossoms or rose petals for decoration.
This no-bake pistachio ganache cake will keep in the fridge for 4-5 days. The cake is very creamy, so use a sharp knife to get a clean slice and cut all through the crust. Take it out of the fridge immediately before serving as it can get soft at room temperature.
Serve and enjoy!
Sounds heavenly!