Recipe: Almond Cake with Ovos Moles

the appetizer:

Discover the foods of Portugal with Portuguese Cooking: The Traditional Cuisine of Portugal by Carol Robertson, with recipes like Piri-piri, Caldeirada (Portuguese Fish Soup), and Almond Cake with Ovos Moles.

Almond Cake with Ovos Moles

Serves 8

This almond cake, really an almond torte, is delicious when filled and iced with ovos moles. Make in advance so the cake can absorb the sauce.

1-1/2 cups blanched almonds
salt
6 eggs, separated
3/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon almond extract

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter the bottom and sides of a 9-inch round cake pan, cut a round of waxed paper to line the pan, and put additional butter on the paper.

Roast the almonds for 10 minutes and then grind them very fine in a food processor or nut grinder.

Beat the egg whites with a pinch of salt until they hold stiff peaks. In another bowl, beat the egg yolks and sugar until the mix is thick, pale yellow, and no grains of sugar can be felt. Stir in the almonds and almond extract. Fold the yolks into the whites carefully, pour the batter into the pan and bake for 25 minutes or until the cake feels springy and pulls away from the side of the pan.

Remove from the oven, allow to cool, turn out of the pan and peel off the waxed paper. Carefully split the cooled cake into two layers and spread some ovos moles between and on top of the two layers.