Flourless Almond Cake

Holiday meals can be so heavy that it’s refreshing to have a relatively light dessert  like this flourless lemon almond cake. This is a classic cake recipe with roots in the Sephardic almond cakes of southern Spain.

The basic ingredients are simply almond flour (finely ground blanched almonds), eggs, sugar and lemon peel. No butter or wheat flour. The cake behaves a bit like a soufflé in that it rises largely due to the eggs in the batter and then falls gently  as it sets.I added some baking powder to help the cake retain a little more structure as it cools. The result is a light and tender crumb, gently sweet and lemony. You can easily mix it with some raspberry sauce  or add a dollop of whipped cream. Enjoy

 Ingredients:

°2/3 c sugar

°1/2 c almond flour

°1/2 t yeast yeast

°1/4 t salt

°2 large eggs

°1 piece of butter

°8 oz almond paste

°1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

+Fresh berries

°1  package (12 oz) frozen, unsweetened raspberries

°1/4 cup sugar

°2 teaspoon fresh lemon juice

Methods:

 Step 1

Preheat oven to 350°F.Place parchment paper in the bottom of a 9-inch round cake pan  and butter the paper and sides of the pan. Put aside. Mix sugar, almond flour, baking powder and salt in a medium bowl. Stir  well and set aside.

 Step 2

Place the egg whites in a large bowl and beat  with an electric mixer on high speed until soft peaks form.Place in a bowl and reserve. Place the butter in the same large  bowl and beat  with an electric mixer on medium-high speed until fluffy. Add the almond paste a little at a time, beating well after each addition until the mixture is smooth.

 Step 3

for the sauce Combine all ingredients in a food processor or blender; Mashed potatoes. Press the mixture into a fine wire sieve and remove the solids.Cover and let cool. Makes 1 cup

 Step 4

Reduce speed to medium and gradually add sugar mixture. Add the egg yolks and beat until a soft dough forms. Add vanilla extract. Carefully fold in the egg whites in three portions and stir until there are no more white streaks. Pour the dough into the prepared pan and smooth the surface.Bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until the top of the cake is lightly golden.

 Step 5

Let the cake cool in the tin for 5 minutes. Run a knife around the edge of the cake, remove it from the tin, remove the baking paper and let it cool completely on a wire rack. Serve the cake with raspberry sauce and fresh berries, plum slices or cherries. The cake can be stored covered in an airtight container  at room temperature for up to 2 days.

Have fun!