Though Piemonte is better known for hazelnuts, the region also makes good use of almonds, and this is a fine almond cake.
Prep Time: 60 minutes
Cook Time: 40 minutes
Ingredients:
- 1 1/4 cups granulated sugar
- 1 1/4 cups confectioner's sugar
- 1 1/4 cups almonds
- 2/3 cup finely ground corn meal
- 1/3 cup unsalted butter
- 1/3 cup all purpose unbleached flour
- 1/3 cup potato starch (I have found this in the Kosher sections of American supermarkets)
- 6 eggs
- 2/3 cup + a tablespoon raisins
- Some maraschino liqueur
- Butter and flour for buttering the pan.
Preparation:
Rinse the raisins and set them to soak in a little warm water. Blanch and peel the almonds, and heat them through in the oven to dry them (don't let them brown). Divide the almonds in half, and using about 1/4 cup of granulated sugar, grind the almonds to dust in a mortar (you can also use a blender to do this, but take care not to overblend lest the almonds give off their oil and form a paste).
Butter and flour a high-sided, 8-inch diameter cake pan. Melt the butter over a low flame and then let it cool to just above the temperature at which it solidifies. Crack the eggs into an untinned copper bowl with the remaining granulated sugar and whip the mixture; heat it until it is tepid, whipping all the while (over a double boiler will work), and transfer it to a larger bowl. Continue to beat the mixture (an electric beater will be fine here) until it becomes fluffy. Meanwhile, preheat your oven to 400 F (210), and pat the raisins dry.
Sift the flour, cornmeal, starch and almond powder into the egg mixture, making sure each ingredient is completely incorporated before adding the next. Add the raisins last, following them with the cool melted butter, added a little at a time, and 3 teaspoons of maraschino. Pour the batter into the cake pan and put it in the oven, reducing the temperature to 375 F (190 C), and bake the cake for about 40 minutes.
While it's baking, mince the remaining almonds. When it's done, remove it from the oven and let it cool on a grate. When it has cooled whip the confectioner's sugar with about a tablespoon of water to make an icing. Spread it over the cake, sprinkle the cake with the minced almonds, and it's done.
Butter and flour a high-sided, 8-inch diameter cake pan. Melt the butter over a low flame and then let it cool to just above the temperature at which it solidifies. Crack the eggs into an untinned copper bowl with the remaining granulated sugar and whip the mixture; heat it until it is tepid, whipping all the while (over a double boiler will work), and transfer it to a larger bowl. Continue to beat the mixture (an electric beater will be fine here) until it becomes fluffy. Meanwhile, preheat your oven to 400 F (210), and pat the raisins dry.
Sift the flour, cornmeal, starch and almond powder into the egg mixture, making sure each ingredient is completely incorporated before adding the next. Add the raisins last, following them with the cool melted butter, added a little at a time, and 3 teaspoons of maraschino. Pour the batter into the cake pan and put it in the oven, reducing the temperature to 375 F (190 C), and bake the cake for about 40 minutes.
While it's baking, mince the remaining almonds. When it's done, remove it from the oven and let it cool on a grate. When it has cooled whip the confectioner's sugar with about a tablespoon of water to make an icing. Spread it over the cake, sprinkle the cake with the minced almonds, and it's done.
