Flourless almond cake

 

Drinking chocolate on almond cake. Gotta try everything for the first time.

Strange that though I have baked for years, I have yet to make one without flour. Somehow weeks after seeing this cake here, I just cannot forget it.

This cake takes a cool 15 minutes to prepare, minus the baking. It was almost plain sailing until I over-mixed the almond yolk concoction which formed a tight lump. The cake could have risen higher if I had not used most of the meringue to break up the pesky lump.

There’s  a lesson in this. When things get smooth sailing and confidence goes into overdrive, things happens.

Credits : adapted from No-Frills Recipe

Makes a 5 inch cake

Ingredients :

A )

90 g almond meal

1/8 tsp cinnamon powder

1/2 tsp baking powder

B)

2 eggs, separated

1/2 Tbsp orange essence

½  tsp  cider vinegar  

C)

50 g caster sugar (divided into 2 portions )

a pinch of salt

Method :

Preheat oven to 170C.

Line a 5 inch baking tray and grease/flour the sides. I used a silpat cut to size that covers the entire interior surface of the tray.

Beat the yolks with 1 portion of the sugar ( 25g )until pale. Add essence. Mix again.

Add   the almond mixture (A) to the yolk mix until just combined.

DO NOT overmix or the mixture clumps making subsequent steps impossible.

Beat the egg whites until coarse bubbles form. Add vinegar , salt and whisk to stabilise the whites.

Whisk , adding the remaining portion of the 25g of sugar in a steady stream, at medium high speed until meringue forms soft peak.

Transfer the meringue to the almond mixture by the spoonful, combining with each addition.

Transfer the batter to the prepared tray. Bake in the preheated oven at 170C for about 25-35 minutes until the cake is visible risen and surface is tan.

If making this on cupcake liners, bake at 170C for 20 - 25 minutes.

Cool well. Transfer the cake to a serving dish.

Dust with icing or drinking chocolate.