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A Turley Tort…Er, Torte for the Holidays

Submitted by Elaine Magliaro, Guest Blogger

David (Nal) has been kind enough to provide us with some classic Christmas songs at the Turley Blawg to help get us into a holiday mood. I thought I’d add my two seasonal cents with a recipe for a delicious almond cake that I often make for holidays and special occasions. The cake is rich and moist. It calls for just four tablespoons of flour. I serve it with homemade raspberry sauce and whipped cream. It’s a favorite with family and friends.

 

Almond Cake with Raspberry Sauce

For the Cake

  • One stick of unsalted butter, at room temperature
  • 7-ounce package of almond paste (sold in cellophane tubes)—broken into small pieces
  • 1/2 cup of sugar
  • 3 extra-large eggs
  • 4 tablespoons of flour
  • 1/3 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1 tablespoon Kirsch
  • 1/4 teaspoon almond extract

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter an 8-inch round cake pan and line the bottom with wax paper. Cream the butter. Gradually beat in the sugar. Then gradually beat in the almond paste. Whisk in the eggs, one by one. Gently fold in the flour, followed by the remaining ingredients. Spoon the batter into the cake pan. (Mound the batter slightly toward the edges, as the cake will rise more in the center than the sides.) Bake the almond cake for 45 minutes to one hour—or until an inserted skewer comes out clean. Let the cake cool on a cake rack for 5 minutes, then invert it onto the cake rack and remove from pan. 

 

For the Sauce

  • 8 ounces of fresh raspberries, or a package frozen raspberries (preferably Wyman’s), defrosted
  • 1/4 cup confectioner’s sugar—or to taste
  • juice of 1/2 lemon—or to taste

Puree the raspberries by pressing through a fine sieve or strainer. Add sugar and lemon juice and whisk to blend and remove any lumps of sugar.

 

Frosting Suggestion: Frost the cake with lightly sweetened whipped cream. Then pipe little rosettes of whipped cream on top. Decorate with fresh raspberries and mint leaves.

Serving Suggestion: Pour a small pool of raspberry sauce on a dessert plate. Turn plate to spread sauce in a circle. Serve a slice of cake on top of the raspberry sauce.

18 thoughts on “A Turley Tort…Er, Torte for the Holidays”

  1. Gorgeous! Thank you Elaine and Blouise. Marzipan is one of my favorite sweets, it’s like a marzipan cake.

  3. Buddha,

    And I was thinking that my last response was a bit “over the top” 🙂 .

    I could use a little (and legal) holiday pick-me-up. I kid you not – I woke up thinking about CCBs.

  4. Elaine: My daughter is the current pastry chef around here, and she liked your recipe. I think she is going to make it.

  5. anon nurse,

    You thank me now, but wait until you try them.

    I swear the secret ingredient must be crack.

  7. Elaine,

    Went shopping; bought ingredients; came home; assembled ingredients; telephoned a few select friends with an invitation to “tea”; sat in my comfortable reading-chair sipping espresso and reading the NY Times while inhaling the delicious aroma wafting from my kitchen as cake baked; prepared toppings; assembled finished product as per serving suggestion; served to a select few invited guests; basked in the glow of their appreciation. Delicious!

  8. OMG. OMG. (And I said it out loud, when I read your comment.) Thanks for the tip, my fellow foodie. I’m ordering some tomorrow, along with some CCCs…

  9. Speaking of delicious things, anon nurse. I had something new to me today that you (and LK for that matter) might like given our past discussion of chocolate covered cherries.

    Harry & David Blueberry Chocolates.

    Heavenly

  11. I can’t cook, but eating is one of my specialties. Especially desserts!! Thanks Elaine. Now I will be thinking of cake all day. Well, I guess that isn’t too out of the ordinary! If you have seen the movie Zombieland, I am always looking for a Twinkie!

  13. Elaine, you remind me of one of the original Turley bloggers, Patty C, and her wonderful recipes. Bring ’em on.

  15. Elaine M.

    Will copy recipe and give to my wife,and she’s on her way to the store anyway,I’ll keep you posted.

  17. I like to cook too. I can reproduce almost any sauce after tasting it. I just can’t bake very well.

  18. Thank you Elaine…….I know mespo likes to cook and I hear tell Buddha likes to eat…..

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