Almond-Chocolate Squares
- Butter for greasing the pan
- Flour for dusting the pan
- 1 1/2 cups (about 7 1/2 ounces) whole blanched almonds
- 1 cup unsalted butter, cut into cubes
- 1/2 pound (8 squares) unsweetened chocolate
- 8 egg yolks
- 1 1/4 cups sugar
- 5 egg whites
- 1 tablespoon powdered cocoa
- 1 teaspoon confectioners' sugar
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
- Butter and flour the bottom and sides of a nine-inch-square cake pan.
- Set aside.
- Spread the nuts on a flat baking sheet in one layer.
- Place in the oven and roast for 10 minutes, stirring often, or until the nuts are golden brown.
- Remove from the oven and cool.
- When the nuts are cool enough to handle, chop them coarsely.
- Combine the butter and chocolate in a saucepan.
- Set the pan in a slightly larger pan containing simmering water.
- Keep the water at a simmer.
- Stir the chocolate and butter until the mixture is melted and blended.
- Combine the egg yolks and sugar in a mixing bowl.
- Using an electric mixer, beat until the mixture is fluffy and lemon-colored.
- Add the chocolate sauce to the egg mixture, stirring to blend thoroughly.
- Stir in the chopped nuts.
- Beat the egg whites until they are stiff but not dry.
- Add half of the whites to the chocolate mixture and stir.
- Fold the remaining whites into the mixture.
- Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 40 to 45 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean when inserted into the center of the cake.
- Transfer the pan from the oven to a rack and let stand about 10 minutes.
- Remove the cake from the pan.
- Let it stand until thoroughly cooled.
- Hold a sieve over the top of the cake and spoon the cocoa into it.
- Sprinkle this evenly over the cake.
- Add the confectioners' sugar to the sieve and sprinkle this over the cake.
- Cut into three-inch squares.
butter, flour, almonds, unsalted butter, chocolate, egg yolks, sugar, egg whites, powdered cocoa, sugar
Taken from cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/8751 (may not work)