Latest news with #pecan
The Guardian
4 days ago
- General
- The Guardian
Bite-sized burnt butter and pecan cakes
These moreish little cakes were inspired by a friend's pecan farm in northern New South Wales. They're salty, sweet, rich and nutty, with a crisp exterior that gives way to a soft centre. Their toasty aroma comes from browning the butter until it turns a deep brown. I used panela sugar, which lends a lovely caramel flavour to the mix, but if it's not available you can replace it with more brown sugar. If you don't have oval cake moulds or a cupcake tin with oval holes, any muffin or mini-cupcake tin – or even one with more traditional rectangular holes – will work. If your moulds are a bit bigger than the ones I used, just bake them for a couple of extra minutes or until the centre feels just set. If they're smaller, take a little time off the bake as they'll cook a bit quicker. You can premake the mixture and refrigerate it for up to five days before baking, which helps to ensure an even rise. Makes 20 170g unsalted butter 100g brown sugar 75g caster sugar 75g panela sugar 45g almond meal 45g pecans 70g plain flour 4g salt 1g ground cinnamon ½ vanilla bean, seeds scraped 160g egg white (from about 6 eggs) To finish 150g pecans Lightly grease 20 7×2 cm oval cake moulds and arrange on a baking tray evenly spaced apart. Melt the butter in a small saucepan over medium-high heat. When it starts to foam, stir frequently with a whisk. Continue cooking and stirring until the colour starts to turn deep brown and the smell is nutty and toasty. Strain the burnt butter through a sieve lined with cheesecloth or coffee filter paper into a heatproof bowl. Set aside to cool to about 65C. Meanwhile, combine the sugars, almond meal, pecans, plain flour, salt and cinnamon in a food processor and blitz until the pecans have broken down to a fine texture (similar to the almond meal). Empty into a large mixing bowl and add the vanilla seeds. Add the egg white to the dry ingredients and mix with a spatula until just combined, then follow with the still-warm burnt butter and mix with the spatula until just combined. Pour into a disposable piping bag and cut a small opening in the tip, then pipe the mixture into each mould until it is a couple of millimetres away from the top (I weighed mine to 35g each). Refrigerate overnight to rest (or for up to five days) – this will ensure an even rise. Skipping this step will risk the cakes popping out of the moulds unevenly during baking. Preheat the oven to 185C fan-forced (205C conventional). To finish the cakes, place one whole pecan in the centre of each cake. Working carefully with a mandoline, shave the remaining pecans into very thin, paper-like shavings. Loosely pile shavings on to each cake. Bake for 14 to 15 minutes, or until the edges have browned slightly and the cakes feel firm to touch. Cool in the moulds for two minutes, then use the tip of a small knife to remove each cake from its mould. I love enjoying these warm with a coffee, but they'll also keep well for a few days if you store them in a cool, dry spot. This is an edited extract from The Baker's Book, Favourite recipes and kitchen wisdom by Australian bakers you love by Ruby Goss (Murdoch Books, $45)
Daily Mail
05-08-2025
- Health
- Daily Mail
FDA issues highest recall alert for 33,000lbs of snack food distributed nationwide... 'reasonable probability of death'
An urgent recall has been issued for a popular snack distributed nationwide for being contaminated with a diarrhea-causing bacteria. Texas-based Navarro Pecan Holdings issued a voluntary recall of 32,670 pounds of pecan products on July 10 due to concerns about potential Salmonella contamination. The products were distributed to commercial and retail distributors in five states; Texas, Minnesota, Oklahoma, Arkansas and New Jersey. They were also distributed internationally to Italy, the Netherlands and UAE, the FDA said. The government agency has updated the recall as Class I, as the nuts have the potential to be contaminated with the bacteria salmonella, which hospitalizes 26,000 Americans every year. A Class I recall is a 'situation in which there is a reasonable probability that the use of, or exposure to, a violative product will cause serious adverse health consequences or death'. The FDA says salmonella can cause serious and sometimes fatal infections in young children, frail or elderly people, and others with weakened immune systems. Healthy people infected with the bacteria often experience fever, diarrhea, nausea, vomiting and abdominal pain. No other products produced by Navarro Pecan Holdings have been impacted and as of yet, there have been no reported illnesses. Founded in 1977, Navarro Pecan Holdings prides itself on being one of the largest pecan shellers in the world. It is not clear how the Salmonella contamination was discovered. Salmonella is an infection contracted from eating foods contaminated with animal feces. It typically causes diarrhea, fever, and stomach cramps that begin six hours to six days after initial infection. Most people recover within days, though the illness is responsible for more than 26,000 hospitalizations and 400 deaths a year. The CDC estimates that most Salmonella infections are linked to chicken, fruits, pork, and seeded vegetables (such as tomatoes). But any food can become contaminated, even processed foods, such as flour. Nuts can become contaminated with Salmonella during various stages of production, including pre-harvest, harvest, processing, and storage. Contamination can occur from soil, contaminated harvesting equipment, and inadequate storage conditions. Moisture during the storage period can also contribute to the spread of Salmonella. The recalled products from Navarro Pecan Holdings include small and medium pecan pieces and mammoth pecan halves. Distributors and consumers who purchased the pecans should return it to the retailer for a full refund. The FDA has advised anyone who falls ill after eating the product to contact local health authorities. Most people sickened with salmonella suffer from a four to six-day illness that causes stomach cramps, diarrhea and abdominal pain. But officials warn children under five years and adults over 65 years old are more at risk from the bacteria because they have a weaker immune system. In serious cases, the bacteria can cause bloody stools and prolonged vomiting. People can die from salmonella via dehydration or if the bacteria enters the bloodstream, which can lead to sepsis, a life-threatening reaction.
