Lemon Cake with Toasted Almonds and Cream
This cake is undoubtedly one of the most delicious things I have ever tasted. I know I’m seriously tooting my own horn right now, but I promise you will not be disappointed if you make it. It is a labor of love, but all that work pays off!
Ingredients:
Genoise cake:
4 eggs
1 egg yolk
120g sugar
120g flour
15g butter, melted
Zest of one lemon
Creme patisserie:
250ml whole milk
½ vanilla bean
50g sugar
20g cornstarch
2 egg yolks
Pinch of salt
Whipped Cream
300g cream
20g confectioners sugar
Zest of one lemon
Lemon Simple Syrup
100g of sugar
Juice of the zested lemons
100g toasted flaked almonds
Method:
Start by making the creme patisserie so it has time to cool. In a bowl, mix the egg yolks with the sugar and the cornstarch.
Heat the milk until steaming. Pour some hot milk over the yolk mix and whisk quickly so the eggs do not coagulate. Pour the remaining milk, whisking well and return the whole mix to the saucepan to further cook.
On medium-high heat, whisk the cream mixture continuously so it does not burn.
Once it has thickened and all the bubbles are gone, boil the cream for 15-30 seconds while whisking continuously. Once cooked, pour onto a clean plate and cover with cling film, making sure the film is in contact with the surface of the cream. Place in the fridge until needed.
For the genoise, whisk the eggs, egg yolk, and sugar in a medium bowl over a pot of simmering water (make sure the water and the bottom of the bowl do not come into contact – it should heat slowly from the steam). Whisk the mixture until the sugar has dissolved. You can test this by dipping your finger in and rubbing it against your thumb to make sure no granules remain. Sift the flour over the mixture and fold it in carefully, trying to keep as much air as possible in the mixture. Finally, fold in the melted butter and pour into a cake pan which has been greased and floured (ideally a 7 or 8 inch).
Bake the cake for 15-20 mins or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.
Make the lemon syrup by combining the sugar and lemon juice in a pan over medium heat. Boil the mixture until the sugar has dissolved.
Whisk the creme patisserie vigorously.
Once the cake has cooled, cut it into two even layers. Soak each layer with some syrup (use a pastry brush for best results). Place one layer on your preferred serving platter and spread the cooled creme patisserie on top. Then, add the second layer over it.
For the whipped cream place the cream and the sugar in a bowl and whisk until stiff peaks form. Spread the cream over the sides of the cake and then cover the sides and top with the toasted almonds.
Enjoy!
