CookEat Recipe
Warm-Whisked Almond Sponge
A plain almond sponge made by gently warming nine yolks with sugar, then folding in flour, ground almonds and nine whipped whites.
Method
Steps
Step 1
Gather the ingredients: 250 g caster sugar; 100 g fine plain wheat flour, plus 5 g for the tin; 50 g blanched sweet almonds; 9 eggs, separated; 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 from the measured caster sugar and mix thoroughly with the 100 g flour. Use sweet almonds only, never raw bitter almonds or apricot kernels.
Step 3
Grease a round metal tin about 26 cm across and 7 cm deep with the butter and dust with the extra flour mixed with the icing sugar. Heat the oven to 170°C. Place the nine yolks and remaining caster sugar in a heatproof stainless-steel bowl over barely steaming water, without letting the bowl touch the water.
Step 4
Whisk for about 15–20 minutes until thick and very pale, keeping the mixture only lukewarm, about 35–40°C. Lift the bowl off the water whenever necessary to prevent the yolks setting. This gentle warming builds the foam; it does not make raw egg safe to eat.
Step 5
Take the bowl off the heat. Mix in the almond-and-flour mixture and lemon zest, working until smooth. If desired, add the optional commercial almond extract. Whisk all nine whites in a clean bowl to firm peaks, then fold them gently into the yolk mixture. Pour immediately into the prepared tin.
Step 6
Bake for about 35–45 minutes until risen, golden and set, with no wet batter on a wooden skewer. Shield loosely with foil if the top colours early. Cool in the tin for about 15 minutes, then turn out carefully and cool completely before slicing. Serve plain; the icing sugar was for coating the tin only.
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