Almond Cake, Pasta Amigdalou
Almond cake, pasta amygdalou! A Greek cake made with sponge layers on a meringue base.
Ingredients
Meringue layers
4 egg whites
50g sugar
120 icing sugar
120 almond meal
15g cornflour
Pastry Cream
1 litre milk
200g sugar
4 egg yolks
15g vanilla sugar
100g cornflour
20g butter
300mls thickened cream
20g sugar
120g slivered almonds, toasted and chopped finely
Topping
100g flaked toasted almonds
Preparation
Click on the button ingredients
- Beat egg whites and sugar until stiff peaks form to create a meringue base. Mix the icing sugar, almond meal, and cornflour together and add to the meringue mix. Mix softly to combine. Divide the mixture into 3 parts. Spread each onto a sheet of baking paper all cut to a size of about 20 x 30cm. Bake for 25 minutes at 180 degrees fan-forced or until lightly browned.
- Warm the milk in a large saucepan, reserving about 150 mls. Mix the sugar, egg yolks and vanilla until incorporated. Then combine the 150 mls of milk, together with the cornflour and stir until it becomes a smooth consistency and add to this mixture.
- Take the saucepan of milk off the heat and add 1 ladle of warm milk to the egg mixture, ensuring it combines well before adding the next. Continue until all of the milk is used, then return the whole mixture to the saucepan and cook on low heat, ensuring to stir continuously until it thickens. This process can take 15-20 minutes. Be patient and do not turn the heat up. Once the mixture thickens and bubbles, turn off the heat stir in the butter.
- Pour it into a shallow dish, cover with plastic wrap right on its surface and place it in the fridge to set.
For the Cream
- Whip 300mls of thickened cream with 1 tbsp of sugar to stiff peaks and then whip together with the set custard. Add in the chopped slivered almonds.
- Divide the cream mix into 3.
To assemble
- Place a piece of the meringue base on a serving dish, place the cream on top and smooth out. Repeat for the next 2 layers and top with toasted flaked almonds.
