CookEat Recipe
Bocca di Dama Almond Sponge
A light almond sponge made with finely ground sweet almonds, nine yolks and six whipped whites.
Method
Steps
Step 1
Gather the ingredients: 250 g caster sugar; 150 g fine plain wheat flour, plus 5 g for the tin; 50 g blanched sweet almonds; 6 whole eggs, separated, plus 3 extra yolks; Finely grated zest of ½ lemon; 5 g butter for the tin; 5 g icing sugar for the tin; Optional: a few drops of commercial food-grade almond extract, following its label strength.
Step 2
Dry the blanched sweet almonds in a low oven at 120°C for about 10 minutes without browning, then cool. Grind finely with 1 tablespoon taken from the measured caster sugar and mix with the 150 g flour, breaking up all lumps. Use sweet almonds only, not raw bitter almonds or apricot kernels.
Step 3
Grease a smooth round metal tin about 24 cm across and 6 cm deep with the butter and dust with the extra 5 g flour mixed with the icing sugar. Heat the oven to 170°C. Put all nine yolks in a bowl with the remaining caster sugar and lemon zest. Beat until thick and pale, about 15 minutes with a wooden spoon or 5–8 minutes with an electric whisk.
Step 4
Add the almond-and-flour mixture and work thoroughly until smooth and thick, for roughly 30 minutes by hand or about 8–10 minutes with an electric whisk. If using it, mix in the optional commercial almond extract at its label strength.
Step 5
Whisk the six whites in a separate clean bowl to very firm peaks. Test by lifting the whisk, not by placing a coin or other object on the whites. Fold gently into the yolk mixture, then pour immediately into the prepared tin.
Step 6
Bake for about 30–45 minutes, until risen, golden and set through, with no wet batter on a wooden skewer. Cover loosely if the top colours too quickly. Cool in the tin for about 15 minutes, then turn out carefully onto a rack and let cool completely before slicing. Serve plain, without an added sugar topping.
Step 7
For the flourless version acknowledged in the original, omit both the 150 g batter flour and the 5 g tin flour. Grease the same tin with 5 g butter and line it with baking paper instead of dusting it; omit the 5 g tin icing sugar as well. Grind the same 50 g sweet almonds with 1 tablespoon from the 250 g caster sugar. Beat the nine yolks with the remaining caster sugar and lemon zest until thick, fold in the ground almonds, then fold in the six firmly whipped whites. Bake immediately at 170°C for about 30–45 minutes, until the centre is fully set and reaches at least 74°C. Cool gently in the tin before turning out. This version is more delicate and may settle as it cools; its timing and texture are untested working guidance.
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