MAKES ONE 12-INCH CAKE; SERVES 8
Modeled after the French pastry called a financier, with its browned butter and almond flour, this cake is delicious filled with summer berries or any stone fruit. I even make it with mangoes during the winter months. This cake is great for dessert but it can be served as a coffee cake for brunch, too.
INGREDIENTS
1 cup (2 sticks) butter, plus extra for the pan
6 egg whites
1 teaspoon vanilla paste
2 cups confectioners’ sugar
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup almond flour
½ teaspoon sea salt
3 peaches, peeled, pitted, and cut into eighths
¼ cup sliced almonds
1 tablespoon coarse sugar (demerara or turbinado)
Honey Whipped Cream (recipe follows)
Preheat the oven to 375°F. Butter and flour a 12-inch tart pan.
In a medium saucepan, cook the butter over medium heat until it begins to brown and smells caramelized. Watch it carefully so that it does not burn! Remove the pan from the heat and let the butter cool to room temperature.
In a large bowl, combine with a wooden spoon or spatula the egg whites and vanilla paste with the room-temperature browned butter. Add the confectioners’ sugar, flour, almond flour, and salt and mix thoroughly.
Add the cake batter to the tart pan. Arrange the sliced peaches on top of the batter. Sprinkle with the sliced almonds and coarse sugar. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until golden in color and a cake tester inserted in the cake comes out clean.
Transfer to a wire rack and let cool completely before slicing. Top each portion with a dollop of honey whipped cream and serve.
MAKES 2 CUPS
INGREDIENTS
1 cup heavy cream
2 tablespoons honey
Using a mixer with the whisk attachment, whip the cream until it begins to thicken. Add the honey and continue to beat to soft peaks. Chill the whipped cream or use immediately.
