Almond Lemon Cake Food

FLOURLESS ITALIAN ALMOND-LEMON CAKE

Steps:

• Gather the ingredients.
• Wash the lemons well. Add them to a pot with enough water to cover and simmer for 1 hour.
• Drain the lemons and allow them to cool enough to handle. They will look a bit "deflated," while the cooking water will be pale yellow and quite bitter.
• Trim the ends off each lemon and cut them in half crosswise. Scoop out and discard the seeds.
• Coarsely chop the lemons-peels and all.
• Put the lemons through a food mill with a coarse disk.
• Mill the lemons again with a fine disk in a food mill.
• Strain the lemon pulp through a fine-mesh strainer. Rub the lemon paste against the mesh with the back of a wooden spoon or the bottom of a ladle.
• Preheat the oven to 350 F/180 C. Soak a sheet of parchment paper with water, then crumple it and wring it out. Use it to line a 9-inch (22-centimeter) springform pan .
• In a medium bowl, beat the egg yolks and granulated sugar until pale yellow and frothy, about 3 minutes.
• Beat in the lemon cream and almond meal.
• In a separate, clean, dry bowl, whip the egg whites to firm peaks .
• Gently fold the whites and baking powder into the lemon mixture.
• Pour the batter into the prepared pan.
• Bake for about 1 hour, or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out a bit sticky but without batter clinging to it. Keep an eye on the cake during the last few minutes because it can brown suddenly.
• Remove from the oven and let cool completely before releasing it from the springform pan and placing it on a serving platter.
• Dust lightly with confectioners' sugar.

LEMON-ALMOND BUTTER CAKE

Steps:

• Combine the lemon zest and juice in a nonreactive saucepan with the sugar and eggs and beat well. Add the butter and cook over medium heat, stirring constantly with a rubber spatula or wooden spoon, until the sugar dissolves and the mixture thickens into curd. Be sure to keep scraping the bottom of the pan during the few minutes this takes you; you don't want the eggs to scramble before the curd forms. If you're the nervous type, make the curd in a heatproof bowl over a pot of boiling water (the bowl shouldn't touch the water). The curd will take just a little longer to thicken, about 5 minutes. Strain the crud into a bowl and press a piece of plastic wrap against the surface so a skin doesn't form. Refrigerate until cool, at least 1 1/2 hours.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease a springform pan with 1 tablespoon of the butter and dust it with 1 tablespoon of the flour.
• Cream the remaining 8 tablespoons butter in a large bowl with 1 cup of the sugar until light and fluffy. Sift the remaining 1 cup flour, the baking powder, and salt together and stir into the creamed butter.
• In a separate bowl, beat the eggs until they start to foam. Do not overbeat, or the cake will be tough. Add the eggs and ground almonds to the flour and butter mixture, mixing well.
• Scrape the batter into the prepared pan. Drop 8 individual tablespoons of lemon curd evenly around the outside of the cake, leaving a 1-inch border around the edge. Try to place the curd so there's an even amount of cake batter between each dollop of curd. Drop 3 tablespoons curd in the center. Refrigerate any remaining curd for another use (hint: breakfast toast). Sprinkle the top of the cake with sliced almonds and 1 to 2 tablespoons sugar, according to taste.
• Bake until the cake is toasty brown on top and a toothpick or knife inserted into the cake comes out clean (be sure not to insert it near the curd), about 40 minutes. Let cool for 10 minutes, then remove the sides of the pan and let cool completely on a rack.
• If serving the cake with whipped cream, add the almond liqueur to the heavy cream and beat until the cream is stiff. Sift a thin, even layer of confectioners' sugar over the top of the cake. Present the cake at the table and offer the almond whipped cream on the side.

LEMON ALMOND CAKE {DOLCE DI AMALFI}

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325 degrees F, and spray a 9-inch springform pan with baking spray.
• In a bowl, mix together the cornmeal, flour, baking powder, and salt.
• Place the almonds in the bowl of a food processor with a steel blade, and pulse the almonds with the sugar, until the almonds are finely ground.
• Cut the ends off of the lemon, and then cut the rest of it into chunks (including the remaining peel), discarding any seeds.
• Add the lemon to the almond mixture and process until blended.
• Add the olive oil, milk, and eggs, and process for 1 minute.
• Add the cornmeal mixture and pulse until mixed.
• Pour the batter into the prepared pan, and bake for about 50 minutes, or until a cake tester inserted into the center comes out clean.
• Cool for 10 minutes then remove the cake from the pan and cool to room temperature on a wire rack.
• Once completely cool, dust the top of the cake with powdered sugar.

BLUEBERRY-ALMOND CAKE WITH LEMON CURD

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Butter two 9-inch-round cake pans and line the bottoms with parchment paper. Butter the parchment and dust with flour, tapping out the excess.
• Whisk the flour, baking powder and salt in a large bowl. Beat the butter in a separate large bowl with a mixer on medium-high speed until creamy, about 2 minutes. Gradually beat in the granulated sugar until light and fluffy, about 4 minutes. Add the eggs one at a time, beating until incorporated, then add the vanilla and almond extracts. Reduce the mixer speed to low and add the flour mixture in 3 batches, alternating with the milk; beat until just smooth, 2 minutes.
• Divide the batter between the prepared pans and sprinkle each with 1 cup blueberries. Bake until lightly golden and a toothpick inserted into the centers comes out clean, 25 to 30 minutes. Let cool 10 minutes in the pans on a rack, then invert the cakes onto the rack to cool completely.
• Meanwhile, spread the almonds on a baking sheet and bake until lightly golden, about 10 minutes; set aside. Beat the heavy cream and 2 tablespoons confectioners' sugar in a large bowl with a mixer on medium-high speed until stiff peaks form, 2 to 3 minutes. Gently fold in the lemon curd, leaving some yellow streaks. Spread the cream mixture over 1 layer of cake almost to the edge. Place the second cake layer on top and gently press; refrigerate at least 1 hour or overnight.
• Before serving, whisk the remaining 1 cup confectioners' sugar with the lemon juice in a medium bowl until it forms a smooth glaze. (Add 1 or 2 drops of water if it's too thick.) Pour the glaze over the center of the cake and spread with a spatula or spoon to the edge, allowing some to drip down the sides. Sprinkle with the toasted almonds.

ALMOND-LEMON TEA CAKE

Steps:

• Note: the key to making this cake batter smooth is incorporating the almond paste completely before the eggs are added; the success of the glaze-a pretty crystallized look and a proper set-requires 2 things, the glaze must be made just before it is brushed on the cake, and the cake must be warm from the oven so the sugar and juices can penetrate it properly and form crystals.
• Position a rack in the lower third of the oven; preheat oven to 350°.
• Lightly butter and flour an 8 ½ inch tube pan OR a 9x5 inch loaf pan, knocking out the excess flour.
• Make the cake: sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt twice.
• In a small bowl, combine the eggs and vanilla; whisk just to combine.
• In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment, beat the almond paste on low speed until it breaks up.
• This can take up to a minute, depending on how soft and warm it is.
• Slowly add the sugar in a steady stream, beating until incorporated.
• If you add the sugar too quickly, the paste won't break up as well.
• Cut butter into 1 tablespoon pieces.
• Continue on low speed while adding the butter, a tablespoon at a time, for about 1 minute.
• Stop the mixer and scrape down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula.
• Then turn on the mixer to medium speed; beat until mixture is light in color and fluffy, 3-4 minutes.
• With the mixer still on medium, add the eggs in a very slow, steady stream and mix until incorporated.
• Stop the mixer and again scrape down the sides; resume mixer at medium speed and mix for another 30 seconds.
• Add in the citrus zest and mix in with a wooden spoon.
• Finally, add the flour mixture in batches, stirring after each addition until incorporated.
• Scrape down the sides of the bowl one last time; spoon batter into prepared pan; smooth the surface with an offset spatula.
• Bake 45-50 minutes, until the top springs back when lightly touched and a pick comes out clean; let cool in pan on a wire rack for 5-7 minutes.
• Meanwhile, stir together the lemon and orange juices and sugar in a small bowl.
• Place the wire rack holding the cake over a sheet of waxed paper or foil to catch any drips; invert the cake onto the rack.
• Brush the entire warm cake with the glaze, then let the cake cool completely on the rack (the cake breaks apart easily when warm, so don't attempt to move it).
• When the cake is cool, transfer it to a serving plate; serve at room temperature.

FLOURLESS LEMON-ALMOND CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375°F. Butter and flour 9-inch-diameter cake pan with 1 1/2-inch-high sides. Line bottom of pan with waxed paper. Finely grind almonds with 2 tablespoons sugar in processor. Combine yolks, 2 tablespoons sugar, lemon peel, cinnamon and salt in medium bowl. Using electric mixer, beat until thick and smooth, about 2 minutes. Stir in almond mixture. Using clean beaters, beat egg whites in large bowl until soft peaks form. Gradually add 4 tablespoons sugar, beating until stiff but not dry. Fold large spoonful of whites into almond mixture. Gently fold in remaining whites.
• Transfer batter to pan. Bake until tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 35 minutes. Cool in pan on rack. Turn out onto platter. Remove waxed paper.