Almond Brown Butter Cake With Plums Recipes

ALMOND BUTTER CAKE

Steps:

• Combine eggs, extract and 1/4 of the sour cream in a small bowl.
• Cut butter into chunks.
• Put remaining sour cream in another small bowl.
• allow all ingredients to come to room temperature while you prepare a 9" springform pan, line bottom with parchment, grease and flour.
• You can use a 9x2" round pan as well, but it will be a bit more difficult to unmold the cake.
• Toast almonds in a 350 degree F oven for 7-8 minutes, cool then grind fine, (I use a bag and rolling pin)-- if using dry measuring cups be sure to grind first then measure.
• Sift all dry ingredients into the workbowl of your mixer and mix on low speed for 30 seconds to combine.
• Add softened butter and sour cream, mix on low to combine, scrape bowl, beat on medium (med-high for a hand mixer) for 90 seconds.
• This will aerate the cake and give it structure.
• Scrape the bowl down and in two additions add the egg mixture, beating for 20 seconds after each addition.
• Scrape the bowl one last time and give it a couple pulses.
• Pour batter into prepared pan and bake for 40-50 minutes, (rotate pan 180 degrees after 25 mins) a toothpick inserted in the center will come out clean and the top of the cake will spring back when lightly pressed.
• Remove from the oven and cool on a rack for 10 minutes, remove sides of pan and allow to cool to room temperature, about 2 hours.
• Cake can be sliced and filled with chocolate ganache and/or frosted with any butter cream.
• It's delicous slightly warm with just a dusting of powdered sugar too!

ALMOND BROWN BUTTER CAKE WITH PLUMS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350°F and set the oven to the middle position.
• Brush an 8-inch cake pan with melted butter, line with a round of parchment paper, and brush with a little more butter. Cook the butter over medium heat until the solids settle to the bottom and the butter turns a deep tawny brown and smells nutty, 8 to 10 minutes. Pour through a fine mesh strainer lined with cheesecloth or a coffee filter.
• Sift the flour and sugar together and add the ground almonds.
• Beat the egg whites and salt in the bowl of an electric mixer until they form stiff peaks.
• Add the flour mixture in a steady stream and mix until smooth. Add the brown butter and the almond extract and mix until just combined. Pour the batter into the pan, arrange the plums in a circular pattern on top, and sprinkle with the sliced almonds. Bake until the top is golden brown and the sides of the cake have pulled away slightly from the pan, about 45 minutes.
• Cool the cake in the pan. Sift a little powdered sugar over the top before serving.
• Variation: Substitute 1/2 pound pitted, whole fresh cherries in place of the plums.
• To make 12 individual cakes: Brush a muffin tin with melted butter and distribute the batter, fruit, and almonds evenly. Bake until golden brown and cooked through- about 25 minutes.

BROWN BUTTER ALMOND TORTE WITH SOUR CHERRY SAUCE

Steps:

• To make the torte:
• In a small saucepan melt butter over moderately low heat and continue to heat until golden brown with nutlike fragrance. (Bottom of pan will be covered with brown specks.) Cool butter to warm and stir in vanilla.
• Preheat oven to 375°F. Butter and flour a 9-inch round cake pan, knocking out excess flour.
• In a food processor finely grind whole almonds with flour, 2/3 cup sugar, and 1/2 teaspoon salt.
• In a large bowl with an electric mixer beat whites with remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt until they hold soft peaks. Add remaining 1/3 cup sugar gradually, beating until meringue just holds stiff peaks. Fold in nut mixture gently but thoroughly. Fold in butter gently but thoroughly (batter will deflate) and spread in pan.
• Sprinkle top of batter evenly with sliced almonds and bake torte in middle of oven 35 to 40 minutes, or until it begins to pull away from side of pan and a tester comes out clean.
• Cool torte in pan on a rack 15 minutes and invert onto rack. Flip torte right side up and cool completely. (Torte may be made 1 day ahead and kept in an airtight container at room temperature.)
• Serve cake with sauce.
• To make the sauce:
• Working over a heavy saucepan pit cherries. In pan bring cherries, sugar, and water to a boil. Stir cornstarch mixture and add to sauce, stirring. Simmer sauce 2 minutes and cool to room temperature. (Sauce may be made 2 days ahead and chilled, covered. Bring sauce to room temperature before serving.) Makes about 3 cups.