Almond and Chocolate Cake (Abruzzo)

Desserts

Ingredients

Sweet Almonds - 1 cup

Bitter almonds (optional) - 2-3

Granulated sugar - 3/4 cup

Butter and flour for the cake pan

All purpose flour - 1/2 cup

Potato flour - 6 tbsps

Ground cinnamon - pinch

Vanilla powder or vanilla extract to taste - pinch

Butter - 5  tbsps

Eggs - 5

Topping:

Bitter chocolate - 5 squares

Butter - 4 tsps

Chocolate strands or vermicelli

Blanch the almonds, both sweet and bitter, for 1 or 2 minutes. Drain them and peel off their skins as soon as they are cool enough to handle. Pound the almonds in a mortar with 2 to 3 tbsps of the sugar until reduced to a powder.

Grease a 9 inch layer cake pan with butter and coat lightly with flour, shaking out excess. Sift together the flour, potato flour, cinnamon and vanilla powder. Melt the butter and let it cool. 

Separate the egg whites from the yolks. Beat the yolks one at a time, gradually adding the remaining sugar and the almond sugar mixture, until the whole is white and fluffy. Add the flour mixture little by little, beating vigorously between each addition. Beat in the cooled melted butter, and lastly, fold in the egg whites, stiffly beaten. Pour the mixture into the prepared cake pan and bake in a slow oven (350F) for about 40 minutes, or until the cake has risen and the top is firm and golden. Leave the cake to cool before turning it out. 

Break the chocolate into small pieces and melt it in the top of a double boiler together with the butter and a tablespoon of water. Beat to a smooth paste, then pour it quickly over the top of the cake, smoothing it down over the top and sides with a palette knife dipped in boiling water. Let the chocolate dry, then decorate the cake with chocolate strands.