Almond Cake

By lulu303

Ingredients

• 1 cup blanched whole almonds
• 3 large eggs, separated
• 1/2 cup + 2 Tablespoon granulated sugar
• Pinch of sea salt
• Zest of lemon or 1/2 lemon and 1/2 orange
• Icing sugar, (powdered) to dust
• Cross template

Preparation

Step 1

Preheat oven to 350
Butter a 7-inch tin, dust with flour, tap out excess flour.
-Blitz almonds until they are finely ground, but not super fine
-Separate eggs. Place yolks in a bowl with the sugar and salt. Whisk until they are pale, thick and glossy.
-Stir in the zest, followed by the almonds, to make a thick paste.
-Whisk egg whites in a clean bowl to soft peaks. Add a big spoonful of the whites to the yolk paste and fold through to loosen it.
-Scrape the loosened yolk paste into the side of the bowl of whites. Carefully fold the two together until they are well combined with no lumps.
-Transfer the mixture to the prepared tin. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes. The cake should be set, golden brown and a toothpick should come cleanly out of the center.
-Cool on a wire rack. Remove from the tin then place the cross template in the middle of the cake. Dust with icing sugar (powdered). Carefully remove the template.