Toasted Almond Poundcake With Strawberry Rhubarb Compote Recipes

ALMOND CAKE WITH RHUBARB COMPOTE AND STRAWBERRIES

Steps:

• To make the cake, preheat oven to 375 degrees. Butter a 10-inch cake pan, and set aside. Place the almonds and the sugar in a food processor, and process until the almonds are ground. Transfer to a large bowl, and stir in the flour and salt until well combined.
• In another bowl, whip the egg whites until stiff but not dry. Stir the butter and one third of the egg whites into the dry mixture. Gently fold in the remaining whites. Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Bake until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, about 30 minutes. Place on a rack to cool for 10 minutes. Turn cake out of the pan, turn upright, and let cool completely.
• Meanwhile, make the compote. Combine the wine, water, sugar and vanilla bean in a nonreactive saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer, and add the rhubarb. Poach for 1 minute, and remove from heat. Let stand for 5 minutes. With a slotted spoon, transfer the rhubarb to a bowl, and set aside. Return the pan to the heat, and boil until liquid has reduced to 1 cup, about 12 minutes. Set aside. When cool, pour the liquid over the rhubarb.
• Assemble just before serving. Cut the cake into wedges. Spoon the compote onto 6 plates, and top with a wedge of cake. Place strawberry slices over cake, and sprinkle with powdered sugar. Serve immediately.

GRILLED RHUBARB AND STRAWBERRY COMPOTE WITH GRILLED POUND CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat a grill for cooking over medium-high heat.
• Combine the rhubarb, strawberries, vanilla extract, 2/3 cup sugar, zest of 1 orange and 1/8 teaspoon salt in a large bowl. Lay out 2 large sheets of heavy-duty foil (or doubled layers of regular foil). Divide the rhubarb-strawberry mixture evenly between the 2 sheets of foil. Bring the long ends together and fold twice to seal; fold in the short sides to seal, leaving room for steam. Place the 2 foil packs on the grill. Cook, uncovered, 15 minutes. Remove from the grill and lower the grill temperature to medium. Carefully open the foil packs, making sure to avoid contact with the hot steam. Let cool long enough so the packets are not steaming before serving.
• Meanwhile, using an electric mixer, beat together the heavy cream, sour cream, remaining orange zest and 2 tablespoons sugar in a large bowl until thick and fluffy. Keep refrigerated until ready to serve.
• Grill both sides of each pound cake slice, 1 to 2 minutes per side, using a metal spatula to flip and remove them.
• Serve each grilled pound cake slice with some compote and a dollop of the cream.

TOASTED-ALMOND POUNDCAKE WITH STRAWBERRY-RHUBARB COMPOTE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour a loaf pan. In a small saucepan, melt butter. Set aside to cool.
• Using an electric mixer fitted with whisk attachment, beat eggs and 1 cup sugar until thick and pale, about 3 minutes.
• In a bowl, sift together almond flour, cake flour and zest. Fold 1/3 of the flour mixture into eggs until thoroughly combined. Fold in rest of flour in 2 batches. Fold in all but 2 tablespoons of the melted butter. Scrape batter into pan, and sprinkle almonds on top. Brush remaining butter over almonds.
• Bake cake until a tester inserted into the middle comes out clean, 40 to 45 minutes. If the top of the cake seems to be getting overly browned before the center is set, cover with foil and continue baking. Let cool on a rack before inverting.
• Meanwhile, make the compote. In a medium saucepan, combine 12 ounces of the strawberries, the rhubarb, 3/4 cup sugar and 1/4 cup water. Bring mixture to a simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, until fruit breaks down into a puree. Let mixture cool, then taste and add more sugar if desired.
• Just before serving, place remaining strawberries in a large skillet, and sprinkle with sugar to taste. Cook strawberries over high heat until they release their juices and sugar dissolves. Serve slices of the poundcake surrounded by strawberry-rhubarb compote and topped with strawberries.