Here’s a delicious recipe for a flourless and fatless cake, a favourite from Kit’s Kitchen. Okay so the cream and mascapone has some fat, but you can always use zero/low fat versions.
Of course, the Caramac can be substituted with milk/dark chocolate of your choice. Melted chocolate can be used instead of the coffee, and even Tia Maria or Kahula liqueur added to the cream or brushed over the cooked cake – whatever takes your fancy.
Makes 1 x 20cm • 8in cake
For the cake
6 medium eggs separated
250g / 9oz light muscovado or golden caster sugar
350g / 12oz ground almonds
1½ tsp baking powder sifted
For the filling/and or topping
250g / 9oz mascarpone
2 tbsp golden syrup or 2oz golden caster sugar
2 tbsp cold espresso coffee or strong black instant
1 tsp vanilla extract
5 tbsp double cream
1 x Caramac chocolate bar finely sliced or shaved/grated
Method
Cake
Have ready 2 x 20cm / 8in loose-bottom sandwich tins or deep cake tins. Very lightly grease with butter or oil, then line with baking paper then lightly grease again. Alternatively, line tins with a paper cake line and lightly oil using as little as possible.
Preheat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6.
In a large bowl beat the egg whites until stiff using an electric whisk.
In another large bowl whisk together the egg yolks and sugar until pale and smooth.
Gently fold the whisked egg whites into the yolk mixture in three goes.
Fold in the ground almonds and the baking powder and mix gently until thoroughly and evenly combined.
Divide the mixture evenly between the tins, weighing them for accuracy.
Smooth the tops and give each tin a couple of taps on the work surface to bring up any air bubbles.
Bake for 30 minutes or until top feels springy to the touch and the sides are shrinking away from the tin. A skewer inserted should come out clean.
Run a knife around the collar and leave to cool.
When cool, remove from the tins and peel off the base paper.
Filling
In a large bowl, stir together the mascarpone with the syrup, coffee and vanilla.
In a medium bowl whisk the cream with an electric whisk until it forms soft, fluffy peaks.
Fold cream into mascarpone in two goes.
Spread half of this mixture over the base of one sponge, taking it to the edge.
Place other sponge on top and spread over remaining mixture.
Scatter Caramac shavings over the top.
Loosely cover and chill for a couple of hours until it firms up before serving.
The cake should keep well for several days.
If you wish, each cake can be sliced in two to make more layers, spreading a thinner layer of cream between each layer. You can leave the top plain or sprinkle with cocoa or icing sugar, in fact, decorate as you wish.
Experiment and have fun, and most of all, enjoy.
Kit's Kitchen 