Almond Cake (Tarta de Santiago)

This is a flourless almond cake that we love with coffee or tea, or in the evening after a rich meal. The appeal is how very easy it is to make, and how it is so simple and yet so decadent at the same time. The recipe was given to us by a dear friend of the family, and we have been enjoying it ever since.

Tarta de Santiago has origins in the middle ages in Spain, where it was often topped with a cross in powdered sugar for St. James.

• 1 1/4 cup sugar
• 2 1/2 cups blanched almond flour
• 1/2 tsp kosher salt
• 6 eggs, separated.
• 1/4 tsp almond extract
• 1/4 tsp vanilla extract
• zest of 1 small orange
• For the topping:
• dusting of confectioners sugar
• 1/3 cup sliced almonds, slivered or sliced.

You will need:

1. Roast slivered almonds for 4-6 minutes at 200 degrees in a pan, and then set aside.
2. Heat oven to 350 degrees. You can use either a greased springform pan or a greased 9 inch cake pan. Dust with flour.
3. Whisk vigorously or use a mixer to blend sugar and eggs yolks until creamy. Beat in zest and extracts. Add almond flour and salt and mix well. With a clean whisk or mixer, beat egg whites until stiff. Gently fold egg white mixture into the almond flour mixture until well-combined. Pour batter into the pan and bake.
4. Bake until deeply brown (40-45 minutes). Let it cool in the pan for 10-15 minutes on a rack. After, turn the cake out and let it cool completely on the plate before serving. Top with confectioner’s sugar and roasted almonds.