Holiday Hazelnut Cake This is an elegant, gluten-free delight. The magic of this cake comes when you bite into the soft cake and get a mouthful of the crunchy nuts that top the cake. After traveling to Spain I fell in love with this native Mallorcan cake, as both Claudia Roden and Rick Stein have before me. After lots of experimenting, I discovered the success of this cake is in the process more than the ingredients (see tip, page 57). The gató is different from other cakes in this book because beaten egg whites are gently folded into the nut–flour mixture to make the cake rise. It’s quite common for cakes that use egg whites as the leavener to slightly drop in the center after they come out of the heat of the oven. Make a virtue of this trait and don’t invert the cake, but instead fill the dip with delicate flaked nuts and dust with confectioners’ sugar. I use superfine almond flour for a fine crumb or almond meal for a rustic vibe. Be sure to try the Hazelnut Gató variation too! Makes one 9 by 2-inch round cake Preparation: 25 minutes
6 eggs, at room temperature 1 cup (200g) granulated sugar 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract A few drops of pure almond extract Finely grated zest of 1 lemon 1 3⁄4 cups (160g) almond meal or flour 1⁄2 teaspoon salt 3⁄4 cup (65g) flaked almonds, toasted
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease a 9 by 2-inch round pan with butter, line the bottom and sides of the pan with parchment paper, and grease the paper—a must for this cake. Separate the egg yolks and whites into two medium mixing bowls. Using a whisk or an electric mixer with beaters or a paddle attachment on medium speed, beat the egg yolks and the sugar for 2 minutes or until very pale, ribbonlike, and aerated. Add the vanilla and almond extract and the zest. Beat for another minute. Scrape down the sides of the bowl with a spatula. Add 1 cup (90g) of the almond meal or flour and the salt. Mix until just combined; don’t overbeat. In the other bowl, use the whisk attachment and whisk the egg whites on medium-low speed for 2 minutes, until small, even bubbles form. Gradually increase the speed to medium-high and beat for another 2 minutes, or until firm peaks form. Heap a spoonful of the whipped egg whites into the almond mixture. Using a spatula, lift the mixture from the bottom of the bowl and fold it over, gently incorporating the whites to loosen the mixture. Add the remaining egg whites a third at a time. Rotate the bowl continuously, slicing through the center of the mixture often. Don’t stir; you will knock all the air out. Finally, gently fold in the remaining 3⁄4 cup (70g) of almond meal or flour. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and gently smooth the top. Bake in the center of the oven for 30 to 35 minutes or until a wooden skewer inserted in the center comes out clean, and the cake bounces back when lightly pressed. Remove the cake from the oven and let it stand for 10 minutes. Run a butter knife around the cake to gently release. Peel off the parchment paper but do not invert. Cool on a wire rack. To top the cake, toast the flaked almonds on a baking sheet in the oven or in a frying pan over low heat until lightly colored and aromatic. Sprinkle the nuts on top of the cooled cake and dust with confectioners’ sugar.
Tip The folding-in technique can be intimidating. I get it! One really valuable tip I learned from my mother is to reserve 3⁄4 cup (70g) of the nut flour until the end. This way the mixture won’t be as stiff, making it easier to fold in the egg whites without knocking the air out of them. If it’s a humid day, consider making a different cake, since whipped egg whites struggle in humid weather. VARIATIONS
Hazelnut Gató: I love this variation! Use hazelnut meal or flour in place of almond meal or flour. Omit the almond extract and the lemon zest; use orange zest instead. Top with roughly chopped toasted hazelnuts instead of the almonds and dust with confectioners’ sugar. TOPPINGS
Dust with confectioners’ sugar. Serve with grilled or poached apricots and a scoop of vanilla gelato in the summertime. Or top with a dollop of Boozy Whipped Cream (page 75), using Grand Marnier. Serve with a spoonful of Compote (page 83) and Vanilla Whipped Cream (page 75). Hazelnut Gató loves Nutella Whipped Cream (page 75). Top the cake with toasted, chopped hazelnuts and a dollop of cream on the side. If you love the combination of hazelnut and chocolate, try adding shaved semisweet chocolate to the topping as well; be sure to let the hazelnuts cool before adding. (See also the Holiday Hazelnut Cake on page 153.)