Almond tarta di Santiago
Healthy post-workout dessert
This fantastic almond cake comes from Santiago di Compostella, the capital of one of my favorite areas of Spain, Galicia. It is named after the patron saint of Spain, St. James and is traditionally made with just almonds, sugar and eggs. Sometimes it has a sweet pastry case, but my version is without pastry. It is not only more virtuous as it contains absolutely no butter, but it is moist and light, gluten-free and a great natural energy food.
Also the almonds in this cake provide good, cholesterol-reducing monounsaturated fats and also contain significant amounts of the antioxidant vitamin E, plus magnesium and potassium. Yes, they are basically good for you. It is also an incredibly quick cake to make and good enough to serve up as a desert with a dollop of cream or some fruit.
Method
1. Turn the oven on to 350˚F and grease the cake pan.
2. Whisk the egg whites to soft peak stage with an electric whisk — they will become white and will form little ‘droopy’ peaks.
3. Put the egg yolks, lemon zest and sugar into a separate bowl and whisk until pale and creamy.
4. Stir in the almonds and the sherry.
5. Fold in the egg whites, a little at a time, and then pour the mixture into the cake tin.
6. Cook in the oven for about 30 to 35 minutes, until golden. If you poke a skewer into the middle of the cake, it should come out clean. Cool in the pan, on a wire rack.
7. Decorate with confectioners’ sugar.
Ingredients
- 4 eggs, separated
- 1 cup (8oz) superfine sugar
- 2½ cups (8oz) ground almonds
- ½ tsp cinnamon
- 1 tbs medium or sweet sherry
- Zest of 1 lemon
Vital Statistics
Serves: 6-8. Use a 9in spring form cake pan or flan dish
Preparation: 10 minutes
Cooking: 30 minutes
Difficulty: Relatively easy
Good for: Good energy food, a great treat for after exercise or for a nutritious dessert. Gluten-free
Calories (kcal): 447.1
Protein (g): 14
Carbs (g): 40.7
Fat (g): 25.2
Fiber (g): 2.9
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