Almond Cake

Ingredients

• 2 eggs (medium size)
• 3 egg yolks (medium)
• 2 Tbsp hot water
• 150 g sugar
• 1 packet vanilla sugar
• 70 g flour
• 1 tsp Baking powder
• 150 g Ground Almonds
• 3 egg whites (medium)
• 120 g fine sugar
• 1 packet vanilla pudding mix
• 375 ml milk
• 40 g sugar
• 250 g soft butter
• 100 ml dessert wine (e.g., Malaga)
• 50 g dark chocolate
• powdered sugar (for dusting)

Instructions

1. 1.

   Whisk eggs with water, sugar and vanilla sugar for 8 minutes until frothy. Mix flour with baking powder and sift over the mixture. Fold in almonds. Line a 26 cm springform pan with parchment paper. Pour the batter and smooth the surface. Bake in a preheated oven at 180-200°C (gas: level 3-4, convection: 160-180°C) for about 30 minutes. Let the base cool. Then remove from the pan and cut horizontally once.

2. 2.

   Beat egg whites with sugar until stiff peaks form. Take one third of the mixture and fill a piping bag with a thin tip. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Spread a 24 cm round of meringue on the sheet. Pipe small triangles onto the sheet as well. Bake at 130°C (gas: level 1-2, convection: 110°C) for about 65-75 minutes until dry. Release the base and triangles from the sheet and let them cool.

3. 3.

   Whisk pudding mix with 6 tbsp milk. Boil remaining milk with sugar. Stir in pudding mix and bring to a boil once more. Cover the pudding with cling film and let it cool.

4. 4.

   Beat butter until creamy, then fold in the pudding (both at the same temperature) spoonful by spoonful. Finally add dessert wine gradually.

5. 5.

   Spread 3-4 tbsp of cream on the lower sponge layer, place the meringue layer on top and spread another 3-4 tbsp of cream. Cover with the upper sponge layer. Pipe remaining cream around the cake. Grate chocolate finely and sprinkle over the cake. Dust meringue triangles with powdered sugar. Decorate the cake accordingly.