LonghornGal
01-06-2004, 07:55 PM
All I can say is wow!!! This smelled great mixing, baking, cooling, and eating! A very simple assembly process resulted in an outstanding, complex, impressive dessert. The recipe calls for making a single layer cake, but I divided it into 10 ramekins which also makes a nice presentation.
Sneezles found this recipe for me on this thread: http://community.cookinglight.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=51999&highlight=almond+paste
I then lightened it and am very pleased with the results. This almond cake is sooo delicious - light with just a tinge of orange flavor and the heavenly aroma of almonds.
The strawberry mixture is amazing - I was a bit wary of the green peppercorns and ground pepper with strawberries but it was a wonderful tangy, sweet, berry-licious mixture. To make it sweeter, strawberries were on sale this week! :D
The orange marscapone is not something that I'd eat on it's own (too cheesy tasting for me) but a dollop of it with the cake and strawberries added just the right amount of creamy richness to ruly send this dessert over the edge of indulgence.
Here's the recipe I ended up with. I only modified the cake recipe - the mascarpone and strawberries I kept to the original recipe.
Here's my lightened version...
* Exported from MasterCook *
CALIFORNIA ALMOND CAKE WITH BALSAMIC STRAWBERRIES AND ORANGE MASCARPONE
Recipe By :
Serving Size : 10 Preparation Time :0:00
Categories :
Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
-------- ------------ --------------------------------
7 ounces almond paste
1/2 cup Imperial Margarine -- softened
3/4 cup Splenda Granular
3/4 cup Egg Beaters® 99% egg substitute
2 tsp. lemon zest -- grated
2 Tablespoons Grand Marnier -- or other orange brandy
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda -- (Splenda addition)
Powdered sugar for garnish
ORANGE MASCARPONE FOR CALIFORNIA ALMOND CAKE
BALSAMIC STRAWBERRIES FOR CALIFORNIA ALMOND CAKE
Preheat the oven to 350°.
Lightly butter and flour an 8-inch round cake pan.
In the bowl of an electric mixer, combine the almond paste, butter, and sugar.
One at a time, beat in the eggs, followed by the lemon zest and brandy.
Sift the flour and baking powder together over waxed paper.
Beat the flour into the almond-egg mixture until just combined.
Pour the batter in the prepared pan and bake for 35 to 40 minutes. A toothpick inserted in the center should come out clean.
Cool on a rack before removing the cake from the pan.
Serve a wedge of the cake with a scoop of the Balsamic Strawberries. Dust with a sprinkling of powdered sugar and pipe a small rosette of the Orange Mascarpone from a pastry bag or simply place a dollop on the cake.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Per Serving (excluding unknown items): 262 Calories; 17g Fat (57.7% calories from fat); 5g Protein; 23g Carbohydrate; 3g Dietary Fiber; 12mg Cholesterol; 205mg Sodium. Exchanges: 1 Grain(Starch); 1/2 Lean Meat; 1/2 Fruit; 2 Fat; 0 Other Carbohydrates.
NOTES : Serves: 8 TO 10
I made as 10 ramekins - baked for 28 minutes at 350. About 1/4 cup batter per ramekin.
Nutr. Assoc. : 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
* Exported from MasterCook *
BALSAMIC STRAWBERRIES FOR CALIFORNIA ALMOND CAKE
Recipe By :
Serving Size : 0 Preparation Time :0:00
Categories :
Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
-------- ------------ --------------------------------
2 pints strawberries -- stemmed and halved
1/3 cup balsamic vinegar
2 Tbsp. honey
1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
1 Tbsp. green peppercorns -- drained and rinsed, slightly crushed
In a bowl, gently combine all ingredients. Allow to stand, refrigerated, for at least 1 hour before serving.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Per Serving (excluding unknown items): 366 Calories; 3g Fat (5.5% calories from fat); 6g Protein; 94g Carbohydrate; 18g Dietary Fiber; 0mg Cholesterol; 17mg Sodium. Exchanges: 1 Grain(Starch); 3 1/2 Fruit; 0 Fat; 2 1/2 Other Carbohydrates.
Nutr. Assoc. : 0 0 0 0 0
* Exported from MasterCook *
ORANGE MASCARPONE FOR CALIFORNIA ALMOND CAKE
Recipe By :
Serving Size : 0 Preparation Time :0:00
Categories :
Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
-------- ------------ --------------------------------
3 oz. mascarpone cheese
1 tsp. orange zest -- grated
1 tsp. Grand Marnier -- or other orange brandy
In a bowl, combine all the ingredients and beat well. Let stand, refrigerated, at least 1 hour before serving.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Per Serving (excluding unknown items): 404 Calories; 39g Fat (89.4% calories from fat); 5g Protein; 6g Carbohydrate; trace Dietary Fiber; 117mg Cholesterol; 51mg Sodium. Exchanges: 1/2 Lean Meat; 0 Fruit; 7 1/2 Fat.
Nutr. Assoc. : 0 0 0
Sneezles found this recipe for me on this thread: http://community.cookinglight.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=51999&highlight=almond+paste
I then lightened it and am very pleased with the results. This almond cake is sooo delicious - light with just a tinge of orange flavor and the heavenly aroma of almonds.
The strawberry mixture is amazing - I was a bit wary of the green peppercorns and ground pepper with strawberries but it was a wonderful tangy, sweet, berry-licious mixture. To make it sweeter, strawberries were on sale this week! :D
The orange marscapone is not something that I'd eat on it's own (too cheesy tasting for me) but a dollop of it with the cake and strawberries added just the right amount of creamy richness to ruly send this dessert over the edge of indulgence.
Here's the recipe I ended up with. I only modified the cake recipe - the mascarpone and strawberries I kept to the original recipe.
Here's my lightened version...
* Exported from MasterCook *
CALIFORNIA ALMOND CAKE WITH BALSAMIC STRAWBERRIES AND ORANGE MASCARPONE
Recipe By :
Serving Size : 10 Preparation Time :0:00
Categories :
Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
-------- ------------ --------------------------------
7 ounces almond paste
1/2 cup Imperial Margarine -- softened
3/4 cup Splenda Granular
3/4 cup Egg Beaters® 99% egg substitute
2 tsp. lemon zest -- grated
2 Tablespoons Grand Marnier -- or other orange brandy
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda -- (Splenda addition)
Powdered sugar for garnish
ORANGE MASCARPONE FOR CALIFORNIA ALMOND CAKE
BALSAMIC STRAWBERRIES FOR CALIFORNIA ALMOND CAKE
Preheat the oven to 350°.
Lightly butter and flour an 8-inch round cake pan.
In the bowl of an electric mixer, combine the almond paste, butter, and sugar.
One at a time, beat in the eggs, followed by the lemon zest and brandy.
Sift the flour and baking powder together over waxed paper.
Beat the flour into the almond-egg mixture until just combined.
Pour the batter in the prepared pan and bake for 35 to 40 minutes. A toothpick inserted in the center should come out clean.
Cool on a rack before removing the cake from the pan.
Serve a wedge of the cake with a scoop of the Balsamic Strawberries. Dust with a sprinkling of powdered sugar and pipe a small rosette of the Orange Mascarpone from a pastry bag or simply place a dollop on the cake.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Per Serving (excluding unknown items): 262 Calories; 17g Fat (57.7% calories from fat); 5g Protein; 23g Carbohydrate; 3g Dietary Fiber; 12mg Cholesterol; 205mg Sodium. Exchanges: 1 Grain(Starch); 1/2 Lean Meat; 1/2 Fruit; 2 Fat; 0 Other Carbohydrates.
NOTES : Serves: 8 TO 10
I made as 10 ramekins - baked for 28 minutes at 350. About 1/4 cup batter per ramekin.
Nutr. Assoc. : 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
* Exported from MasterCook *
BALSAMIC STRAWBERRIES FOR CALIFORNIA ALMOND CAKE
Recipe By :
Serving Size : 0 Preparation Time :0:00
Categories :
Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
-------- ------------ --------------------------------
2 pints strawberries -- stemmed and halved
1/3 cup balsamic vinegar
2 Tbsp. honey
1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
1 Tbsp. green peppercorns -- drained and rinsed, slightly crushed
In a bowl, gently combine all ingredients. Allow to stand, refrigerated, for at least 1 hour before serving.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Per Serving (excluding unknown items): 366 Calories; 3g Fat (5.5% calories from fat); 6g Protein; 94g Carbohydrate; 18g Dietary Fiber; 0mg Cholesterol; 17mg Sodium. Exchanges: 1 Grain(Starch); 3 1/2 Fruit; 0 Fat; 2 1/2 Other Carbohydrates.
Nutr. Assoc. : 0 0 0 0 0
* Exported from MasterCook *
ORANGE MASCARPONE FOR CALIFORNIA ALMOND CAKE
Recipe By :
Serving Size : 0 Preparation Time :0:00
Categories :
Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method
-------- ------------ --------------------------------
3 oz. mascarpone cheese
1 tsp. orange zest -- grated
1 tsp. Grand Marnier -- or other orange brandy
In a bowl, combine all the ingredients and beat well. Let stand, refrigerated, at least 1 hour before serving.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Per Serving (excluding unknown items): 404 Calories; 39g Fat (89.4% calories from fat); 5g Protein; 6g Carbohydrate; trace Dietary Fiber; 117mg Cholesterol; 51mg Sodium. Exchanges: 1/2 Lean Meat; 0 Fruit; 7 1/2 Fat.
Nutr. Assoc. : 0 0 0