Photograph by Gentl and Hyers food styling by Maggie Ruggiero  Prop Styling by Ayesha Patel

Photograph by Gentl and Hyers food styling by Maggie Ruggiero  Prop Styling by Ayesha Patel

Emilie Flöge

Golden Milk Caramel Nut Bar

Amuse-Bouche from Issue 11 – Summer 2017 – Heroines

In Gustav Klimt’s 1902 portrait of Emilie Flöge, she assumes a confident stance, one hand on her hip, chin raised and cheeks flushed, clad in a Byzantine mosaic-inspired dress of her own design. Flöge, whose dresses appeared in many Klimt paintings, was one of Vienna’s most au courant designers at the turn of the century and a pioneer of Reformkleider, a free-form style that rebelled against the confining corseted fashions of the day. A lifelong best friend and companion to Klimt, his last words on his deathbed in 1918 were: “Get Emilie.” Our au courant nut bar, bejeweled with dried fruit for a mosaic-like effect, is inspired by golden milk.

makes one (9 x 5 loaf)

1 cup almonds
1 cup walnut pieces
1 cup shelled pistachios
¾ cup all-purpose flour
1 tsp turmeric
½ tsp salt
⅜ tsp cardamom
⅛ tsp ground black pepper
¼ cup dried cherries
¼ cup dried cranberries
½ cup very roughly chopped crystallized ginger
⅔ cup sugar
⅔ cup honey
2 Tbsp coconut oil plus more for greasing parchment

1
Preheat oven to 325°F.
2
Line a 9 x 5 loaf pan with parchment and then lightly grease.
3
In a sheet pan, lightly toast the nuts, just until fragrant, about 8 to 10 minutes.
4
Whisk together the flour and spices in a medium bowl. Stir in the warm nuts, fruits, and ginger, coating thoroughly.
5
Stir together sugar, honey, and coconut oil in a 1 to 1½-qt saucepan and bring to a boil over medium heat. Boil, stirring frequently, until temperature reaches 245°F. (Temperature rises quickly; about 2 minutes after reaching a boil.)
6
Immediately pour syrup over the nut mixture stirring well to combine evenly. Transfer quickly to the loaf pan and press firmly to make an even loaf. Bake for 40 minutes. Cool in the pan about an hour and then invert onto a fresh piece of parchment, discarding the one from the pan. Cool completely. Cut into thin slices to serve. Keep well-wrapped at room temperature for up to 2 months.