Warm Almond Cakes With Grapes Food

WARM GRAPE CAKE

Steps:

• This cake is very simple to put together but you have to respect 1 rule: temperature. It is critical that the butter, eggs, milk and olive oil all be at room temperature when you begin making this batter.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Using an electric hand mixer, beat together the butter and sugar in a large bowl until they lighten in color, about 5 to 8 minutes. Slowly beat in the eggs and lemon zest. Sift 1 1/2 cups flour over the bowl and add the baking powder and salt, gently folding to combine. Add in the olive oil and milk, stirring to combine. In a separate bowl, toss the raisins and about 1 cup of the grapes with the remaining 1 tablespoon of sifted flour. Add the fruit to the cake batter and stir only enough to blend.
• Thoroughly grease the bottom and sides of the cake pan with some extra softened butter. Pour the batter into the pan and slide it into the center of the oven. Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 40 to 45 minutes. Remove the cake from the oven and allow it to cool. Detach the outside of the springform pan, using the bottom as a plate for the cake to finish cooling.
• Meanwhile, in a small bowl, whisk together the cream, confectioners' sugar and almond extract until soft peaks form. Set the topping aside.
• Add the honey to a small saute pan and bring it to a light simmer over low heat. Once it bubbles, thickens and turns light brown after about 2 to 3 minutes, add in the grated ginger and remaining grapes. Switch off the heat and allow the glaze to cool. Serve slices of the cake with some of the grape-ginger mixture spooned over and a dollop of the whipped cream.

WARM ALMOND CAKES WITH GRAPES

Steps:

• Put oven rack in upper third of oven and preheat oven to 400°F.
• If using Cognac, toss grapes with it in a small bowl.
• Pulse half of almonds with 1 tablespoon sugar in a blender until finely ground. Transfer to a small bowl and repeat with remaining almonds and 1 more tablespoon sugar.
• Beat together butter and remaining 6 tablespoons sugar in a bowl with an electric mixer at high speed until pale and fluffy, then beat in vanilla. Add eggs 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Reduce speed to low and beat in ground almonds, flour, and salt until just combined.
• Divide batter among gratin dishes and press grapes lightly into batter (discard Cognac). Bake in dishes on a baking sheet until cake is firm and pale golden with slightly darker edges, about 20 minutes.
• Transfer cakes to a rack and cool slightly in dishes before serving.

ALMOND-GRAPE TEA CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly butter and flour an 3-by-8-inch metal loaf pan. In a large bowl, using an electric mixer, beat butter and 1/2 cup sugar on high until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Beat in eggs, one at a time, until combined, scraping down bowl as needed. In a food processor, pulse almonds and 1/4 cup sugar until finely ground. Add flour and salt and pulse to combine. With mixer on low, beat almond mixture into butter mixture until combined. Beat in vanilla and lemon zest.
• Transfer batter to pan and smooth top. Press grape halves into batter in rows and bake until a toothpick inserted in center comes out with a few moist crumbs attached, about 1 hour, rotating pan halfway through. Let cake cool in pan on a wire rack. To serve, remove cake from pan and slice. Store cooled cake, wrapped in plastic, at room temperature, up to 3 days.

WARM ALMOND-CHERRY CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter and flour a 9-inch deep-dish pie plate (4-cup capacity); set aside. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt; set aside.
• Using an electric mixer, beat butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in almond extract. With mixer on low, blend in flour mixture (do not overmix).
• Transfer batter to prepared pie plate; scatter cherries and almonds on top. Bake until a toothpick inserted in center of cake comes out clean, 45 to 50 minutes. Let cool 10 minutes before serving.

WARM GRAPE CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Beat the butter and sugar with a mixer in a large bowl until the mixture lightens in color, 5 to 8 minutes. Slowly beat in the eggs and lemon zest. Sift 1 1/2 cups flour into the bowl. Add the baking powder and salt, gently folding to combine. Add the olive oil and milk, stirring to combine. Toss the raisins and about 1 cup grapes in a separate bowl and sift in the remaining 1 tablespoon flour. Add the fruit-flour mixture to the cake batter and stir only enough to blend.
• Thoroughly grease the bottom and sides of a 9-inch springform pan or glass baking dish with some softened butter. Pour the batter into the pan and slide the pan into the center of the oven. Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, 40 to 45 minutes. Remove the cake from the oven and let sit until cool enough to touch, then detach the outside of the springform pan.
• Whisk together the cream, confectioners' sugar and almond extract in a medium bowl until soft peaks form. Set aside.
• Add the honey to a small saute pan and bring it to a simmer over low heat. Once it bubbles, thickens and darkens slightly, about 3 minutes, add the ginger and the remaining 1 cup grapes. Switch off the heat and allow the mixture to cool slightly. Serve slices of the cake with some of the grape-honey mixture and a dollop of the whipped cream.

GRAPES WITH ALMOND WHIPPED CREAM

Steps:

• Whip cream in a chilled bowl* until it begins to hold its shape.
• Add confectioners sugar and almond extract and beat until slightly stiff.
• *For best results make sure the bowl, heavy cream, and metal beaters are cold; try putting them all in the freezer for 5 minutes.
• Gently fold in the grapes and almonds until well mixed.
• More or less grapes can be added depending on your own preferences.