Chamomile-and-Almond Cake
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted, plus additional for pan
- Flour for pan
- 1/4 cup sliced almonds, toasted
- 3 1/2 tablespoons chamomile tea leaves
- 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons whole blanched almonds
- 3/4 cup sugar
- Salt
- 4 large eggs, 1 separated
- Grated zest of 1 lemon
- 3 tablespoons cornstarch
- 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
- Cooking-oil spray
- Confectioners' sugar
- Preheat the oven to 320 degrees.
- Butter a 9-inch cake pan, then dust with flour.
- Shake out excess flour.
- Sprinkle the sliced almonds on the bottom of the pan.
- In a food processor, grind the tea, whole almonds, sugar and a large pinch of salt into a paste.
- If the mixture is dry, add 1 egg white to form a paste.
- Otherwise, add the white at the end of the processing.
- Transfer the almond paste to a mixer fitted with a paddle attachment.
- Add 1 yolk and 1 egg and beat on medium-low for 1 minute.
- Add another egg and beat for another minute.
- Add the last egg and the lemon zest and beat on medium for 5 minutes.
- Using as few strokes as possible, fold in the cornstarch and baking powder with a rubber spatula until mostly combined.
- Pour in the melted butter, a little at a time, folding just until combined.
- Do not overmix.
- Pour the batter into the cake pan and bake until the top is just set, about 40 minutes.
- Let cool for 3 minutes.
- Grease a cake plate with cooking-oil spray.
- Turn the cake out onto the plate.
- Cool fully, then cover with foil until ready to serve.
- Dust with confectioners' sugar.
unsalted butter, flour, almonds, chamomile tea, almonds, sugar, salt, eggs, lemon, cornstarch, baking powder, cookingoil spray, confectioners
Taken from cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1856 (may not work)