Bolos de Amendoa- Portuguese Almond Cakes

By amaliana

"The Algarve, a region rich with almond trees, has produced dozens of recipes for cakes, tarts and puddings laced with almonds.
If you have time, toast the whole almonds in a 350 oven for 8 minutes before grinding. Transfer to a tea towel; fold the towel over and rub off the skins before grinding the almonds in a food processor or blender. Pine nuts can be substituted for the almonds."

Ingredients

• Topping:
• 1 cup butter, softened
• 1 1/3 cups granulated sugar
• 2 1/2 cups ground almonds, or 8 oz whole almonds, toasted and ground
• 5 eggs ,separated
• 1 tsp almond extract
• 1/2 cup sifted cake and pastry flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1 cup sliced almonds
• 1/4 cup apricot jam or orange marmalade

Preparation

Step 1

In large bowl, cream butter and sugar until smooth and light-colored. Gradually beat in ground almonds, mixing well. Add egg yolks and almond extract, beating with beater until light.
Blend cake and pastry flour and baking powder. Add to batter, blending until smooth.
In separate bowl, beat egg whites until stiff peaks form. Gently fold into almond batter until combined. Pour batter into two greased and waxed paper-lined 9-inch round cake pans.
Bake in 350F oven for 35 to 40 minutes,or until tester inserted in centers comes out clean. Let cakes cool on baking sheets for 5 minutes, then let cool completely on racks. Carefully run knife around edges of pans, turn out cakes and remove paper.
To make topping, spread almonds on baking sheet. Bake in 350F oven for 5 to 8 minutes, or until browned, shaking baking sheet occasionally. Set aside to cool.
Place jam in small saucepan and cook over low heat for 5 minutes, stirring until melted.
Brush loose crumbs from cakes. Brush tops and sides of cakes with jam. Scatter sliced almonds over tops and sides of cakes.
Makes two 9-inch cakes.