Interesting and sweet things you can bake
I’ve been in a kind of E-Z Bake mood this week, happy about the beautiful weather and hungry for something sweet but not decadent-sweet like a big fat frosted layer cake, something spring-sweet, that is “not too”. Also, something that would take advantage of our local produce and pique my baking curiosity. “How in the world would that turn out?” got me involved with the Spanish almond cake, or tarta de Santiago. I was a little taken aback by the price of blanched almond flour from Bob’s Red Mill, (I used the natural instead of blanched), but the price was worth it. This little tarta is great! A bit chewy, not too sweet, but with the crunch of turbinado sugar and the sliced almonds — you can’t walk past it without snitching a little crumb or two. It keeps well, is easy to make and is wonderful served with fresh mixed berries and a dollop of crème fraiche. Don’t worry about the flips from pan to plate — tarta is sturdy and aims to please.
Spanish Almond Cake
Chef notes: This flourless cake from Galicia, Spain, is traditionally made with separated eggs and flavored with citrus and/or cinnamon. We liked it made more simply, with whole eggs and just a small measure of vanilla and almond extracts. A sprinkling of chopped almonds and coarse raw sugar on top of the batter gives the surface a chewy- crisp crust that contrasts wonderfully with
the dense, plush crumb of the cake’s interior.
This recipe by Julia Rackow serves 8, and takes about an hour, plus 10 minutes active cooling.
Ingredients:
• 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons white sugar
• 3 large eggs, plus 3 large egg whites
• ¼ teaspoon table salt
• ¼ teaspoon almond extract • ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract • 2½ cups blanched almond flour
• 3 tablespoons turbinado or demerara sugar
• 1⁄4 cup sliced almonds, lightly chopped
Directions: Heat the oven to 350 degrees with a rack in the middle position. Mist the bottom and sides of a 9-inch round cake pan with cooking spray, line the bottom with a round of kitchen parchment, then mist the parchment.
In a large bowl, combine the white sugar, whole eggs and egg whites, salt and both extracts. Whisk vigorously until well combined, 30 to 45 seconds; the mixture will be slightly frothy and the sugar will not be fully dissolved. Add the almond flour and whisk until incorporated. Pour the batter into the prepared pan, then sprinkle evenly with the turbinado sugar and chopped almonds. Bake until deeply browned and the crust feels firm when gently pressed with a finger, 45 to 55 minutes. Let cool in the pan on a wire rack for 10 minutes.
Run a knife around the edges of the cake, then invert onto a plate. Remove the pan and parchment then re-invert the cake onto a serving plate. Let cool completely before serving.
Tip: Don’t underbake the cake. Rather than use a skewer or toothpick to test the center for doneness, check the browning and crust development. The cake is ready when the surface is deeply browned and the crust feels firm when gently pressed with a finger. Don’t