Ingredients: 3 cups blanched slivered almonds 6 ounces unsalted butter, room temperature 4 large egg yolks 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar 2 teaspoons vanilla extract 4 large egg whites
Directions:1. Preheat the oven to 350 F (180 C) and adjust the rack to the middle. Butter a 10-inch springform pan and set aside. 2. In the bowl of a food processor fitted with a metal blade, pulse the almonds until ground into a coarse powder the consistency of cornmeal. 3. Dump the ground almonds into a medium bowl and mix with the butter. Set aside. 4. Using a handheld mixer or a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the yolks, sugar and vanilla together on medium-high until light and fluffy, about 6 to 8 minutes. Add the almond butter and mix until combined. 5. In an impeccably clean bowl, whisk the egg whites by hand or with a handheld mixer to soft peaks (when you lift the whisk upright the tip of the whites should gracefully loop over itself like old-fashioned soft-serve ice cream). Plop a spatulaful of the whites into the egg-almond mixture and stir to lighten the mixture. Carefully fold in the remainder of the whites until no streaks of white show. Spoon the batter into the pan and smooth the top. 6. Bake the cake for 40 to 60 minutes until the center is springy to the touch and and the sides begins to pull away from the sides of the pan. Remove it to a rack and let cool completely then unmold. NOTE: If the cake is browning too quickly, cover it with a piece of aluminum foil. |