Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 35 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour, 5 minutes
Yield: 8 Servings
Ingredients:
- 4 eggs
- 5 Tbsp softened butter
- 1/3 cup granulated sugar
- 3 oz (85 gr) raw almonds
- 2 1/2 oz (70 gr) shaved chocolate
- 6 lady fingers
- 4 oz milk
- 2 1/2 oz Liquor 43 (or rum)
- 1 Tbsp corn starch
- 1 Tbsp unbleached white flour
- 1 Tbsp cocoa powder
- powdered sugar for dusting
Preparation:
Pre-heat oven to 360F (180C) degrees.
Grease a 9-inch springform pan with vegetable shortening. Separate the yolks and egg whites into separate bowls.
Blanch, peel and toast the almonds on a baking sheet at 360F for 5-10 minutes. Grind them in a food processor and set aside. To reduce preparation time, buy peeled blanched almonds in the store and grind them.
In a large mixing bowl, beat the butter, adding sugar and beating until mixture is smooth.
Add egg yolks one at a time, continuously mixing. Add the ground almonds and shaved chocolate and mix well on low with a hand mixer.
In another bowl, pour in milk and Liquor 43. Soak the lady fingers until soft, then add to the butter-sugar mixture and mix well. Add flour and corn starch and mix.
Beat the egg whites to a stiff point, which takes about 5 minutes with an electric hand mixer. Fold into the batter using a spatula.
Bake in oven on middle rack for about 35 minutes. Check cake after 20 minutes. Cake is done when a toothpick is inserted into the center and come out clean.
Cool cake on a rack. When cool, remove sides of pan. Before serving dust with cocoa and powdered sugar.
Note: An 8-inch springform pan may be used, and baking time will need to be increased.
