Saffron Rosewater Pistachio Cake for Jewish Valentine’s Day

Coming soon is one of the most joyous holidays on the Jewish calendar – Tu B’Av. It’s a day historically known for marriages, matchmaking and merrymaking. Sometimes, it’s called the Jewish Day of Love or Jewish Valentine’s Day.

Though Tu B’Av is considered a minor religious holiday, it has become a popular celebration in Israel and elsewhere. One modern custom is to send your loved one an arrangement of roses, which inspired this Saffron Rosewater Pistachio Cake, garnished with rose petals.

In ancient times, Tu B’Av fell during the grape harvest and seemed to give women an active role in their matchmaking. That also makes Tu B’Av a day to celebrate Hadassah for the role it plays in advancing women’s rights and health equity in the US and around the world.  Coincidentally, one of the most complete explanations of the Tu B’Av holiday I’ve seen is on the Hadassah website.

This year Tu B’Av (the 15^th day of the month of Av) begins at sundown on Friday, August 8 and ends at nightfall on Saturday, August 9. This dairy-free cake is a great dessert for a Tu B’Av Shabbat dinner, a special brunch or any time.

I make the cake in mini-loaf pans (each serves 2-3), but I also give directions for a traditional loaf pan. (The mini-loaf pans make it easy to eat some of the cake right away and freeze the rest for later. See the recipe for directions.)

Find dried rose petals and rosewater online and in specialty, Middle Eastern and Indian markets. Substitute fresh petals for the dried if you have access to food grade, organic, non-sprayed roses. If rose petals are not available, garnish with raspberries or sliced strawberries.

Saffron Rosewater Pistachio Cake
Serves 6-9

Rosewater Syrup (recipe below)
3/4 cup mild olive oil (see notes), plus extra for greasing pan(s)
15 strands of saffron
4 large eggs, room temperature
1 Tbsp. plus 1 Tbsp. finely grated lemon zest
1/4 cup rosewater (see notes)
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup sugar
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. ground cardamom
1/2 cup plus 3 Tbsps. coarsely chopped pistachios

Rosewater Glaze (recipe below)
2-3 Tbsps. dried rose petals
2-3 Tbsps. chopped fresh mint

Heat oven to 325 degrees. Have ready Rosewater Syrup. Oil the bottom and the insides of a metal loaf pan (9x5x3 inches) or 3 metal mini loaf pans (each 5 ½ x3x2 inches).

Place oil in a 2-cup glass measuring cup and place in microwave for 30 seconds or until oil is warmed. (Or warm over low heat in pot.) Crumble saffron into oil. Stir. Let sit until at room temperature.

Separate eggs. Add yolks to cooled oil. Place whites in a clean, dry metal or glass bowl.
Stir 1 Tbsp. lemon zest into cooled oil. Mix well.  Set aside. Use a sturdy whisk or electric mixer to beat egg whites until they are stiff but still moist. Set aside.

In a large bowl, mix flour, sugar, salt and cardamom. Slowly add the oil and egg yolks to dry ingredients, mixing well. Stir in 1/2 cup chopped pistachios and rosewater until blended. Fold a third of the egg whites into the batter. Repeat twice and then gently stir until thoroughly incorporated.

Spoon into greased pan(s). Bake about 40 minutes for mini loaves and 45-50 minutes for full-size loaf. A skewer inserted in middle should emerge clean.

Once removed from the oven, put pans on cooling rack, placed over a rimmed baking sheet for 10 minutes. Then turn cake(s) out onto rack upside down. Use a skewer to poke deep holes 1-inch apart throughout, being careful not to poke through top. Spoon Rosewater Syrup over the entire cake(s). Once absorbed, repeat until all syrup is used or the syrup is no longer being absorbed. Cool on rack 10 minutes longer. Then flip top side up to finish cooling.

Once totally cool, make Rosewater Glaze (see below) and brush or spoon on top(s). Garnish with the remaining 3 Tbsps. pistachios and 1 Tbsp. lemon zest. Then sprinkle with rose petals and mint.

To make in advance, wrap before glazing and garnishing. Keep at room temperature for a day or freeze for up to 3 months.

Rosewater Syrup: In small pot, combine 6 Tbsps. sugar with 1/2 cup water over medium heat. Boil for 2 minutes, stirring often. Cool to room temperature. Stir in 1 Tbsp. rosewater and 1 tsp. lemon juice.

Rosewater Glaze:  Sift 1/2 cup confectioner’s sugar into bowl. Whisk in 1 tsp. rosewater and 1 tsp. lemon juice. Whisk in more sugar or juice by the teaspoon as necessary until glaze is smooth and pourable but not loose or liquid.

Notes: Choose a mild olive oil or substitute safflower or sunflower oil. Choose rosewater (preferably a Middle Eastern brand), not a baking extract or essence. Rosewater flavor strength varies, so adjust syrup and glaze to taste.

Faith is a member of the Hadassah Writers’ Circle, a dynamic and diverse writing group for leaders and members to express their thoughts and feelings about all the things Hadassah does to make the world a better place. It’s where they celebrate their personal Hadassah journeys and share their Jewish values, family traditions and interpretations of Jewish texts. Since 2019, the Hadassah Writers’ Circle has published nearly 650 columns in The Times of Israel Blogs and other Jewish media outlets. Interested? Please contact hwc@hadassah.org.