Almond and Chocolate Cake

 Ingredients: - 300 g ground almonds (to taste) - 300 g superfine sugar - 200 g butter at room temperature (soft but not melted) cut into pieces - 100 g high-quality chocolate chopped into small pieces - 7 tablespoons of unsweetened cocoa powder (I thought it was a bit much but... I proceeded with confidence - I didn't use 7 heaping tablespoons but rather...) - 6 eggs - powdered sugar for decoration

To prepare a delicious and fragrant cake, we will start with the egg yolks, which we will mix with sugar until the mixture becomes creamy and changes color, achieving a lighter shade. It is important to use a quality mixer to help us achieve a fine and airy texture. After the egg yolks have blended perfectly with the sugar, we add the soft butter, cut into cubes. The butter should be at room temperature to incorporate evenly into the mixture. We continue to mix until all the ingredients combine into a homogeneous and creamy mixture.

The next step involves adding the crushed almonds, which will provide extra flavor and a crunchy texture to our cake. Then, we will add the chocolate cut into small pieces. It is recommended to use dark or milk chocolate, depending on preferences, to achieve an intense and savory taste. We continuously mix, ensuring that the almonds and chocolate are evenly distributed throughout the mixture.

On the other hand, we will prepare the egg whites, which we will beat until we obtain a firm foam. It is essential that the bowl in which we beat the egg whites is clean and free of grease, to ensure that the foam will form correctly. After the egg whites have reached the desired consistency, we will carefully fold them into the mixture of egg yolks, butter, almonds, and chocolate. This step must be done gently to avoid losing the air in the egg whites, which will help the cake to be fluffy and light.

Before baking the cake, we preheat the oven to 180 degrees Celsius. We prepare a rectangular pan, approximately 35 x 25 cm in size, which we line with baking paper. This will prevent the cake from sticking to the pan and will help us easily remove it after baking. We pour the obtained mixture into the pan, leveling it with a spatula to achieve an even surface.

The cake will bake for about 35-40 minutes, or until it turns golden and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. After the cake is baked, we let it cool in the pan to retain its moisture and firm up a bit. Finally, we can decorate the cake as desired, sprinkling powdered sugar or cocoa on top for an attractive appearance and an even more intense taste. Enjoy this delicacy alongside a cup of coffee or tea!

 Tags:  eggs unt sugar chocolate cocoa cookies vegetarian recipes