Almond Sponge Cake Recipes

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Place almonds in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet; toast until golden, about 10 minutes. Transfer pan to a wire rack, and let almonds cool.
• Reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees. Place the cooled almonds and the cornstarch in bowl of a food processor. Process until finely ground, about 30 seconds. Set aside.
• Butter two 6-inch-round layer-cake pans. Line pans with parchment paper, and butter again. Flour pans, and set aside.
• In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, mix together egg yolks and vanilla. With mixer on high speed, gradually add 1/4 cup sugar. Beat until pale, thick, and light, about 5 minutes. Transfer egg-yolk mixture to a large bowl; set aside. Wash and dry mixer bowl and attachment.
• Place egg whites and salt in the clean mixer bowl. Beat on medium speed until soft peaks form. Increase the speed to high, and gradually add the remaining sugar. Beat until stiff and glossy, about 4 minutes.
• Fold the egg-white mixture into the egg-yolk mixture. In three additions, fold the reserved ground-almond mixture into this new mixture. Divide the batter between the two prepared pans, and smooth the tops with an offset spatula.
• Bake cakes until a cake tester inserted into the middle comes out clean, 25 to 30 minutes. Transfer pans to a wire rack to cool, about 25 minutes. Turn out cakes, and cover with plastic wrap until ready to use.

Steps:

• Whip the egg whites till very stiff with salt and baking soda. Add the sugar a little at a time while continuously beating. Mix cornstarch and almonds. Fold into meringue. Spread batter into two circles, roughly 21 cm in diameter, on baking paper. Bake in the middle of the oven at 150 degrees Celcious for about an hour. Let cool on a grill.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F.
• Place the sliced almonds on a baking sheet and toast in the oven for about 5-7 minutes or until lightly browned and fragrant. Remove from oven and let cool.
• Once completely cooled, place the nuts in a small food processor, along with 1 tablespoon of the cake flour, and process until finely ground.
• Increase the oven temperature to 450°F.
• Grease a 17 inch x 12 inch jelly roll pan, line with parchment, and then grease and flour the parchment paper. Set aside.
• While eggs are still cold separate two of the eggs, placing the yolks in one large mixing bowl and the whites in another bowl.
• To the two yolks, add the additional yolk, and the two remaining eggs.
• Cover the two bowls with plastic wrap and allow the eggs to come to room temperature before using.
• Meanwhile, in a small bowl whisk together the remaining 2 tablespoons of cake flour and the ground almonds. Set aside.
• Add 1/2 cup sugar to the yolk mixture and beat on high speed for five minutes, or until pale, thick and fluffy. At this point beat in the vanilla extract.
• Sift half the flour mixture over the egg yolk mixture and fold in gently with a rubber spatula, just until the flour is incorporated. Sift the remaining flour mixture over the batter and fold together.
• In a large clean mixing bowl, beat the egg whites until foamy. Add the cream of tartar and continue beating until soft peaks form.
• Beat in one tablespoon sugar and beat until stiff peaks form.
• Gently fold a little of the whites into the batter to lighten it, and then fold in the rest of the whites. Pour the batter into the prepared pan, spreading the cake batter with an offset spatula.
• Bake for 7 minutes or until golden brown.
• Immediately upon removing the cake from the oven invert the sponge cake onto a clean dish towel that has been sprinkled with icing sugar.
• Carefully remove the parchment paper, sprinkle the cake lightly icing sugar, and roll up the sponge, with the towel, while it is still hot and pliable.
• Place on a wire rack to cool.
• To make the cream filling place the whipping cream, vanilla extract, and sugar in a large bowl and stir to combine.
• Cover and chill the bowl and beaters in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes.
• When chilled, beat the mixture until stiff peaks form.
• Fold in 1/3 cup toasted ground almonds.
• When ready to fill, unroll the sponge, spread with the filling, and reroll.
• Transfer to a serving platter, cover, and chill in the refrigerator for a few hours or overnight.
• Just before serving, dust with icing sugar.

Steps:

• Butter two 20cm loose-bottomed round sandwich tins and line with baking parchment. Heat the oven to 190C/170C fan/gas 4. Tip the butter and sugar into the bowl of a stand mixer and beat for 10 mins, or until light and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Fold in the flour, ground almonds, baking powder, 1/4 tsp salt and the milk. Spoon the batter into the prepared tins and bake in the centre of the oven for 22-25 mins, or until risen and firm to the touch. Leave to cool in the tins for 5 mins before turning out onto a wire rack to cool completely.
• Put the cherries, vanilla, sugar, lemon juice and kirsch or liqueur (if using) in a pan and bring to a simmer over a low heat. Cook for 5 mins, turn up the heat to medium and cook for 5-7 mins more until the liquid becomes syrupy. If the cherries are softened but the liquid isn't yet syrupy, strain the liquid into a separate pan and simmer until slightly thickened. Remove from the heat and leave to cool.
• Beat the cream and icing sugar together using an electric whisk until the cream has thickened, then fold in the custard and chill for 1 hr.
• Put one of the sponges on a cake plate or stand and spread over the custard cream. Spoon over the cherries, then top with the second sponge. Dust with more icing sugar and serve immediately. Leftovers will keep chilled for two days and are best served at room temperature.