The Portuguese almond torte or cake I grew up with was really a family and gathering favourite. To me, it was too sweet and dense. I much preferred creamy and mousse-like desserts. I’ve seen this recipe a few times and was discouraged also by the sunken middle. Nevertheless, I needed to add to my gluten-free dessert repertoire. I took a chance at this recipe for almond torte and I wasn’t disappointed.
I liked that the sugar was ground with the almonds. I felt that this helped get the almonds very fine without the risk of making almond butter. After 8 pulses in my food processor, 45 seconds, the almonds were the consistency of fine cornmeal. The last step of adding the whipped egg whites and gently folding them into the batter was crucial. This gave this dense torte its fluffiness.
It was so satisfying to bite into a seemingly dense dessert and find a fluffy consistency. It was moist but not overly rich as the ones in my past. I’m definitely converted. Cannot wait to serve this one to my Portuguese family and friends. Actually, cannot wait to serve it to all my friends, including those with gluten intolerance.