Flower almond cakes served with almond custard

They are great on their own but a home made almond custard complements the flavours in the cakes. Try this combination, you will see,...

Recipe: For 5 larger individual sized flower cakes

Ingredients:

** For the almond cakes:

60 gr of lightly salted butter, softened

75 gr of whole , skinned, roasted almonds, pulverised in a food processor

60 gr of organic flour, sieved

0.75 teaspoon of baking powder, sieved

100 gr of raw cane sugar

1 egg, beaten

0.5 teaspoon of vanilla extract/ I used home made

1 teaspoon of Limoncello / I used home made Limoncello, or up to 1 tablespoon if you prefer!

60 ml of unsweetened almond milk

** For the almond custard: ( for 3 to 4 portions )

45 gr of unsweetened almond powder

225 ml of semi skimmed milk

50 gr of fine, white sugar

2 egg yolks, beaten loose

Method:

** For the almond cakes:

1. Preheat the oven to 190° C (a normal oven ) & 170°C ( a fan oven ) for 10 minutes. I used a fan oven. For a normal oven : 374 F & for a fan oven: 338 F.

2. In a large bowl mix carefully the pulverised almonds, sifted flour & sifted baking powder together with a metal spoon because you don't want the air to go away.

3. In the fitted bowl of your Kenwood, place the butter & the sugar. With the K-paddle, mix until creamy. Add the beaten egg & mix well for about 4 to 7 minutes until the batter is thick & airy. Scrape the sides of the bowl until it all is well emulsified.

4. Now, add the vanilla extract & the Limoncello. I used 1 teaspoon because it adds flavour but you don't taste it! Add up to 1 tablespoon if you like. Mix well. Then, add the mixed flours & almonds & mix well. Finally, add the almond milk & mix thoroughly until it is all smoothly.

5. Place your flower silicone mats onto a silpat on an oven rack, for stability. Fill the silicone flower mats with 3/4 th of the filling. You don't have to grease them!

Push the first batter well into the bottom of the holes.

6. Place into the center of the oven & bake for about 20 to 25 minutes. After 20 minutes, check if they are ready with a smaller pin. If not, bake for another 5 minutes. If ready, take the oven rack out of the oven & lift the flower silicone mat onto a wire rack. Let the cakes sit into the mats for about 10 to 20 minutes. They will come out easier, turn them over, they won't break they will shine on top. That's typical of silicon baking! You will see the flower pattern. Leave to cool down completely on a wire rack. When completely cold, store in a cake box.

** For the almond custard sauce:

You can keep the sauce up to 2 days covered in the fridge.

If you want a real thick sauce , you can use half cream & half milk. But I didn't want to! It is good as it is!

1. Take a medium cooking pot, add the almonds powder, milk, sugar & the 2 beaten egg yolks.

Whisk everything together on a low heat until the sauce begins to thicken. The sauce has to thicken but the sauce musn't cook!!! With me, that happedend after 10 to 15 minutes. Adjust the heat if you have to. Whisk nearly all the time. The sauce is done & ready when it has thickened.

2. How to now when it is ready???

You can place a spoon in the sauce, rub with your finger at the back of the spoon & the line that you have made must stay all the time. Then you know that your sauce has tickened enough.

3. Sieve the sauce so that the almond meal stays behind. Use the sauce or let it cool down completely. Place topped with a lid into the fridge. You can keep it up to 2 days. Serve warm or cold.