You know it’s bad when your cupboards are in such a state that no one but you can find anything in them. What that ultimately means is that you have to get off the couch every time someone whines about being hungry — even the big people, who should know how to look a little harder by now.
Not that this happens in my house. But let’s say it did, and let’s say I cleaned out those cupboards and unearthed two bottles of pomegranate molasses. What would follow would be a weekend of unbridled (culinary) experimentation. Here are the resulting success stories.
Pomegranate Cake with Lime Frosting
Serves 8-10
6 Tbs. unsalted butter
3/4 cup pomegranate molasses*
3/4 cup light brown sugar
1 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. ground ginger
3/4 tsp. cardamom
1/4 tsp. fine salt
1 large egg, beaten
1/2 cup milk
1/4 cup orange juice
1 tsp. vanilla
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9-inch springform cake pan.
Place butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Melt halfway. Pour in pomegranate molasses and whisk in the brown sugar. Whisk as butter melts. When butter has melted and the sugar has dissolved, turn off the heat. Cool.
In a small bowl, combine flour, baking soda, ginger, cardamom and salt. In a large bowl, whisk egg, milk, orange juice and vanilla. Pour in cooled pomegranate molasses mixture. Add dry ingredients. Whisk to combine, removing lumps.
Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake for 40-45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in center of cake comes out clean. Let cool for 20 or 30 minutes, then run a thin knife around the inside of pan to help cake edges release. Invert cake from the pan onto a plate. Let cool completely before spreading frosting evenly over top and sides.
For Lime Frosting: Cut 8 oz. cream cheese and 4 oz. butter (room temperature) into pieces. In a food processor with a paddle attachment, combine on medium speed until smooth. With machine running, gradually add 11⁄2 cups powdered sugar. When incorporated, add 1 tsp. lime zest, 1 tsp. fresh lime juice and 1⁄2 tsp. vanilla. Spread over cake while at room temperature.
Pomegranate-Lime Caramel Bars
Serves 16
1 stick unsalted butter
3/4 cup granulated sugar, divided
1 1/2 cups flour, divided
3 eggs
1 cup pomegranate molasses*
2 tsp. grated lime zest
1/3 cup fresh lime juice
1/4 cup powdered sugar
pomegranate seeds for garnish (optional)
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
For crust, cream butter and 1⁄4 cup sugar until light in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Reserve remaining 1⁄2 cup sugar. Combine 1 cup flour (reserve remaining 1⁄2 cup) and a pinch of salt, and with the mixer on low, add to butter until grainy but mixed. Dump dough onto a well-floured board and press with floured hands into an 8-inch square baking pan.
Bake the crust for 20 minutes, until very lightly browned at edges. Cool.
Whisk together the eggs, pomegranate molasses, remaining sugar, lime zest, lime juice and remaining flour. Pour over the crust. Bake bars for 30-34 minutes until the filling is set. Cool completely.
Cut into small squares and sift powdered sugar over top just before serving (sugar soaks into bars). If you don’t have a sifter, place sugar in a fine-sieve strainer and hold strainer over bars while stirring with a spoon. Garnish with pomegranate seeds for color.
* Find pomegranate molasses in specialty grocery stores, or on Amazon.
Josie A.G. Shapiro won the 2013 Man-O Manischewitz Cook-Off, is the co-author of “The Lazy Gourmet” and works at the JCC of San Francisco. Her columns alternate with those of Faith Kramer. Her website is www.thechickencontests.com.