Recipe of the Week: Torta Di Mandorle Di Frutta (Almond Torte With Poached Pears)
Use a variety of fresh fruits when making this delicious almond torte. My mother made it at her bakery on a large sheet tray and sold it by weight. The torte can be made ahead and frozen before being garnished with fresh fruit and brushed with apricot glaze. Serves eight. (Chef tip: You can use any type of fruits to garnish the cake.)
8 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup whole, blanched almonds
2 drops almond extract
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2/3 cup granulated sugar
3 large eggs
1 teaspoon lemon zest
Melted butter, for preparing the cake pan
Poached pears, recipe follows
Apricot glaze:
1/2 cup apricot jelly
1 tablespoon Amaretto liquor
Preheat the oven to 375°F. Butter the bottom of nine-inch cake pan. Line the bottom of the cake pan with parchment and then more butter.
In a food processor, chop the almonds with the sugar until very fine. Sift together the flour, baking powder and salt.
Cream the butter in an electric mixer until light and fluffy. Add the almond and vanilla extracts and the lemon zest. Beat until thoroughly incorporated. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating continuously. Fold in the nuts and flour mixture.
Pour batter into the prepared pan and bake on the center oven rake for 35 minutes. Remove the pan from the oven to a rack and cool. Remove the cake from its pan and set it onto a cake rack; discard the paper and cool completely. Chill for 30 minutes.
Heat the jelly with liquor on top of a double boiler for 20 minutes. Strain through a fine sieve. Decorate with poached pears. Brush the fruit with prepared glaze. Cool and serve.
POACHED PEARS
(serves eight)
4 pears, peeled, cored and left whole (Bartlett or Bosc)
2 cups Chianti wine
2 cups water
1 cup sugar
1 bay leaf
Fill a six-quart soup pot with wine and water, add sugar and bay leaf and bring to a simmer. Let simmer for 15 minutes to incorporate sugar and bring out the flavors. Reduce heat to medium-low; the liquid should remain around 165°F.
Submerge pears into the liquid and cover with parchment paper creating a direct seal over the liquid. Poach pears for about 15-20 minutes or until tender.
Pull pears out and set aside to cool. Once cooled, cut as desired.