225 gr finely ground almonds

225 gr granulated sugar

30 ml sugar syrup

half tsp vanilla extract

2 fresh egg whites

half tsp almonds extract

Blend in a mixer almond flour and sugar. Add vanillla and almonds extracts.

Add the egg whites and blend again, add slowly the sugar syrup.

The mixture will become hard and sticky. Use it as needed. If you do not use itimmediately preserve i tinto the fridge for 1 week maximum. The almonds paste is necessary in many recipes such as Lemon Drizzle (check it out).

Mix: 150 gr almond powder; 90 gr corn starch; 60 gr granulated sugar

2 eggs

60 gr butter

50 gr water

1 tsp baking powder

a pinch of salt

30 gr icing sugar

Add all  ingredients to the dry ones. Mix well.

Pour in a baking pan (20 cm diameter) and bake for 35 minutes. Test doneness with a toothpick. Serve warm dusted with icing sugar. The almond cake is great if served with a some melted dark chocolate.

Tarte Amandine

BASE

250 gr farina / 250 gr flour

125 gr burro / 125 gr burro

125 gr zucchero / 125 gr granulated sugar

mezzo limone grattugiato / half lemon grated

1 rosso d’uovo / 1 egg yolk

1 uovo intero / 1 egg

PERE/PEARS

4 pere / 4 pears

200 gr zucchero 1 lt acqua / 200 gr sugar+1 lt water

L’AMANDINE/THE AMANDINE

100 gr burro / 100 gr butter

100 gr zucchero / 100 gr sugar

180 gr farina mandorle / 150 gr almonds flour

2 uova / 2 eggs

1 cucchiaio di farina / 1 tablespoon flour

Preparare la pasta frolla impastando tutti gli ingredienti per la frolla. Porre la pasta in frigorifero.

Prepare the short pastry by mixing all ingredients. Wrap in film and put into the fridge for an hour.

A parte pelare e pulire le pere. Cuocerle per ca. 20 minuti a fuoco moderato nello sciroppo fatto con l’acqua e lo zucchero.

Peel the pears and take the center away. Cook them for 20 minutes in boiling syrup (made with the sugar and water).

Nel frattempo con la frolla foderare una tortiera da 25 cm.

Wrap a baking pan (25 cm. diameter), with the dough.

CREMA AMANDINE / In un contenitore sbattere il burro con lo zucchero, unire le uova intere una alla volta. Ora unire la farina bianca e la farina di mandorle. Mescolare e versare nella tortiera e livellare.

AMANDINE CREAM /In a bowl beat butter and sugar, add the eggs (one at a time). Now add the flour and the almonds flour too. Mix well and pour onto the baking pan.

Ora tagliare le pere a ventaglio e adagiarle sopra il composto di mandorle decorando a piacere.

Cut the pear as a fan (as shown in the picture) and dispose them on the alomonds cream.

Infornare per 40 minuti a 170°.

Put in the oven for 40 minutes at 170°.

A cottura avvenuta, sformare e spennellare di gelatina di albicocche (la normalissima marmellata scaldata in un pentolino va benissimo), per lucidare.

Once cooled down, brush the surface with apricot gelly melted down in a small casserole with 1 tablespoon of water.