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A timing note: Multiple components of this recipe require long cooling times (overnight if possible) so plan ahead!
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For the pomegranate cranberry curd :
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In a saucepan combine pomegranate cranberry juice and fresh cranberries. Cover and cook over medium heat until all the cranberries have popped, about 35 minutes. Remove from heat and run through a coarse strainer set over a bowl, pressing hard to extract as much liquid as possible. Scrape the puree that will be stuck on the back of the strainer into the bowl. Discard cooked cranberries left in the strainer. Let it cool.
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In another saucepan whisk eggs, eggs yolks, cornstarch, salt and sugar. Add cooled pomegranate cranberry puree and mix well. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until thickened, about 10 minutes. Remove the saucepan from the heat and quickly add the butter and mix until smooth.
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Incorporate the pomegranate seeds. Pour the mixture into a bowl and lightly press some plastic wrap on top. It will prevent a skin from forming. Let it cool then refrigerate it a few hours (overnight if possible).
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For the pistachio cranberry cake :
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Melt the cubed butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Cook, swirling the pan occasionally until the butter turns golden brown. Smell the butter; it should have a nutty aroma. Pour the browned butter into a small bowl to cool.
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Preheat oven to 350u00b0F (180u00b0C). Butter and flour three 6-inch round pans, tapping out the excess flour. Set aside.
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In a large bowl, sift and whisk together the flour, icing sugar, almond meal and pistachio meal.
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Mix the egg whites in with the brown butter then mix in the pistachio extract and pure vanilla extract. Mix wet ingredients into the dry ingredients until just combined. Then fold in the dried cranberries.
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Divide batter between the 3 pans and smooth the tops. Bake until cakes pull away from sides of pans, about 25 minutes. Remove pans from oven and set them on a rack. Let cakes cool in pans for 10 minutes. Run a knife around edges of pans and invert cakes onto a wire rack. Let them cool completely.
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For the pistachio frosting :
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In a saucepan mix the dry ingredients: sugar, salt, cornstarch and flour. Slowly mix in the milk and heavy cream until well combined and lump free. Cook over medium heat. Whisk constantly until it comes to a boil and thickens. Remove from heat and let it cool (overnight if possible).
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In a bowl, whip up the flour mixture until light and fluffy. On low speed, slowly incorporate the pistachio paste and then the butter. Add pistachio and vanilla extracts. Keep beating until light and fluffy.
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Assembly of the cake :
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Freeze the cake layers for 5 to 10 minutes, until they're firm. Place one of the cake layers on your platter, top of the cake facing down. Spread the top with about half of the curd . Put the second cake layer on top then add a layer of curd again and then add the third cake layer.
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Frost sides and top of the cake with a thin layer of pistachio frosting (crumb coat) . Set aside in the fridge one more time, for a few minutes to allow the first layer of frosting to firm up a bit. Then remove it from the refrigerator and add a second thicker coat of frosting and decorate it the way you want. Eat it up!
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Note: After assembling, I did refrigerate it overnight. Don't forget to bring it to room temperature prior to serving.
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The curd recipe was adapted from Martha Stewart.
