Wednesday 24 August 2016

Orange Almond cake - gluten free!

I baked a lovely gluten free cake using my homemade almond flour. Paired with oranges, it is a mouth watering dessert.

Almond Orange cake
recipe from my mom

2 large oranges
250g almond meal
250g granulated sugar
1 tsp baking powder
5 large eggs

Glaze:
170gr apricot jam
2 tbsp water
Blanched almonds to decorate


* Place the oranges in a large pot of boiling water and boil for 1 1/2 - 2 hours or until soft enough for a skewer to go through with ease.
* Top up the water from time to time so as to keep the oranges fully submerged and spin the oranges around occasionally so that they cook evenly.
* When ready, drain and leave to cool.
* Chop them coarsely, skin and all and puree finely in a food processor.
* Preheat oven to 170C. Line the bottom of a 22cm round cake tin with parchment paper and butter it. Also butter and dust the sides with flour. Set aside.
* Whisk the almond meal, sugar and baking powder in a large bowl.
* Beat the eggs on medium-high speed for about 6 minutes until light and fluffy.
* Turn off the mixer and pour the orange puree and almond mixture into the eggs. Mix on low speed until just combined.
* Pour into prepared tin.
* Bake for 1 hour or until the top of the cake is just firm when pressed gently.
* Cool the cake in the tin on a wire rack.
* Once cool, invert the cake onto a serving plate and remove paper.
* Pour the glaze over the cake and brush it all over evenly.
* Decorate with almonds.

** To make the glaze, simply boil the jam with the water for about 5 min until it becomes thick and syrupy. Pass it through a sieve and it's ready for glazing!





Almond cakes are traditional. Everyone in Greece knows them and many women have at least one recipe in their collection!



It tastes great when cold, right out of the fridge.

It also freezes great. Thaw it on the counter overnight.....

.... unless you are G. He took a piece out of the freezer, left it 30 min. on the counter (literally) and ate it. He said it was so good, that he prefers it this way. Cold, dense and orangy. I didn't taste it, so I have to take his word for it, but when it comes to desserts, he knows what he is talking about!

Louise!