Makes 12 servings.
A light tea cake which I like to serve with a raspberry sauce and fresh raspberries, this dessert is moist and has a bit of texture. It keeps fresh for many days refrigerated. Be gentle when you slice it, the hazelnuts make it difficult to cut. Keep this cake in mind for Passover.
INGREDIENTS FOR CAKE:
¾ pound hazelnuts, toasted (See Note)
1 tablespoon unsalted margarine
2 tablespoons potato flour
6 large eggs, at room temperature (See Note)
¾ cup sugar
Zest of one lemon
¼ cup lemon juice, about 1 large lemon
Confectioner’s sugar for dusting the cake
INGREDIENTS FOR RASPBERRY SAUCE:
One 12 ounce package unsweetened frozen raspberries, thawed
3 tablespoons confectioner’s sugar
PREPARATION FOR CAKE:
Preheat the oven to 350F
Chop the hazelnuts semi- coarsely, in 2 batches, in a food processor fitted with the steel blade.
Grease a 10x2 ½ inch spring form pan with margarine and dust with potato flour. Invert pan and shake off excess.
Beat egg yolks in an electric mixer at medium speed, adding sugar gradually until pale and thick, about 5 minutes.
Lower the speed and add the lemon zest and lemon juice, beating until combined.
Beat egg whites at high speed until stiff.
With a large rubber spatula, fold half of the nuts and a quarter of the whites into the yolks. Repeat with the rest of the nuts and another quarter of the whites.
Now reverse the process, pouring batter over the whites. Gradually fold the two mixtures together, making a motion like a figure eight, until all the whites have disappeared. Pour batter into pan distributing the batter evenly and smooth the top, if needed.
Bake in the center of the oven for about 45 minutes. It’s ready when you insert a tester into the center and it comes out dry.
Cool on a wire rack. The cake may drop a bit.
Release the sides with a metal spatula and remove the rim. Loosen the bottom as well
Invert onto a platter. If the bottom is not attractive invert it again. Dust with confectioner’s sugar.
PREPARATION FOR RASPBERRY SAUCE:
Puree the raspberries in a blender until smooth.
Strain through a medium-mesh sieve. Push the solids through the sieve with the back of a wooden spoon to obtain as much puree as possible. Be sure to scrape the underside of the sieve.
Discard the pulp left in the sieve.
Season to taste with sugar.
NOTE:
To roast the hazelnuts spread in a single layer on a cookie sheet and place in a preheated 350F oven for about 15 minutes. Rub in a dish towel to remove the skin (some skin will remain).
I separate the eggs when they are cold. This prevents the yolks from breaking. Then leave them to warm a bit at room temperature.
