Essentials of Classic Italian Cooking - Marcella Hazan [277]
They are done when tender all the way through, when their centers are no longer floury and dry. It will take from 30 minutes to 45 minutes, depending on the freshness and size of the nuts. When done, wrap them in a cloth towel for 10 minutes to help the skins come away easily.
Almond Cake
THE ALMOND is by a wide margin the most favored nut in Italian cakes, particularly in the Veneto, and a comprehensive anthology of Italy’s almond desserts would require a substantial volume. There are no egg yolks and there is no butter in this recipe, which uses only the whites instead of whole eggs, and produces a firm, but fairly light cake.
For 6 to 8 servings
10 ounces shelled, but unpeeled almonds, about 2 cups
1⅓ cups granulated sugar
8 egg whites
Salt
The peel of 1 lemon grated without digging into the white pith beneath
6 tablespoons flour
An 8- or 9-inch springform pan
Butter for greasing the pan
1. Preheat oven to 350°.
2. Put the almonds and sugar in a blender or food processor and grind to a fine consistency, turning the motor on and off.
3. Beat the egg whites together with ½ teaspoon salt until they form stiff peaks.
4. Add the ground almonds and the grated lemon peel to the egg whites, a little bit at a time, folding them in gently, but thoroughly. The whites may deflate a bit, but if you mix carefully there should be no significant loss of volume.
5. Add the flour, shaking a little of it at a time through a strainer, and again, mixing gently.
6. Thickly smear the pan with butter. Put the cake batter into the pan, shaking the pan to level it off. Place the pan in the middle level of the preheated oven and bake for 1 hour. Before taking it out of the oven, test the center of the cake by piercing it with a toothpick. If it comes out dry, the cake is done. If it does not, cook a little longer.
7. When done, unlock the pan and remove the hoop. When the cake has cooled somewhat, and it is just lukewarm, loosen it from the bottom of the pan. Serve when it is completely cold. It will keep quite a while if stored in a tin biscuit box.
Walnut Cake
For 8 servings
½ pound shelled walnuts
⅔ cup granulated sugar
8 tablespoons (1 stick) butter, softened at room temperature
1 egg
2 tablespoons rum
The peel of 1 lemon grated without digging into the white pith beneath
1½ teaspoons baking powder
1 cup flour
An 8- or 9-inch springform pan
1. Preheat oven to 325°. When it has reached the preset temperature, spread the walnuts on a baking sheet and place in the middle of the oven. After 5 minutes, take the walnuts out of the oven and turn the thermostat up to 350°.
2. When the walnuts are cold, put them in a food processor together with 1 tablespoon of sugar, and grind fine, but not to a powder, turning the motor on and off. Take them out of the processor bowl and set aside.
3. Set aside 1 tablespoon butter for smearing the pan later. Put the remaining 7 tablespoons into the processor together with the rest of the sugar and process to a creamy consistency. Add the egg, rum, lemon peel, and baking powder, and process briefly until all ingredients are uniformly combined. Transfer the contents of the food processor to a mixing bowl.
4. Add the ground walnuts to the bowl, working them uniformly into the mixture with a spoon or spatula. Add the flour, shaking it through a strainer and combining it with the other ingredients to form a fairly compact and evenly blended cake batter.
5. Smear the cake pan with the 1 tablespoon butter, sprinkle lightly with flour, then turn the pan over, tapping it against the counter to shake off excess flour. Put in the batter, leveling it off with a spatula. Place the pan in the upper level of the oven. After 45 minutes, before taking it out of the oven, test the center of the cake by piercing it with a toothpick. If it comes out dry, the cake is done. If it does not, cook 10 minutes or so longer.
6. When done, unlock the pan and remove the