Tarta de Santiago

Tarta de Santiago derives from Santiago de Compostela in North West Spain and is rumoured to have been brought there by a pilgrim visiting the grave of Saint James - one of the most significant pilgrimages of the middle ages.  It is now commonly found in pastry shops throughout the city, sprinkled with icing sugar and marked with the shape of a cross of the Order of Santiago. 

History aside, the cake's simplicity belies its yumminess. It is a wonder that three ingredients (almonds, eggs and sugar) can combine to make something so perfectly light, fragrant and moist - without the help of fat or flour. The cake is flavoured with a little lemon and orange zest, and makes a delicious alternative for Easter weekend. 

I served it with a dollop of creme fraiche and some pomegranate seeds, which add a burst of freshness. This recipe is by Claudia Roden, from her wonderful book The Food of Spain.

Ingredients

250g ground almonds
6 eggs, separated
250g caster sugar
Grated zest of 1 orange
Grated zest of 1 lemon
4 drops almond extract
Butter, to grease the cake tin
Flour, to dust the cake tin
Icing sugar, for dusting the cake

Creme fraiche & pomegranate to serve (optional)

Preheat the oven to 180C (160 fan).

Beat the egg yolks with the sugar to a pale cream with an electric mixer, then beat in the orange and lemon zests and almond extract.

 

Add the ground almonds and mix well.

In a separate bowl and with a cleaned whisk, whisk the egg whites until stiff. Stir a couple of tablespoons into the egg and almond mixutre to loosen it up (it will be quite stiff at this stage), then gently fold in the remaining whites.

Grease a spring-form cake tin around 28cm in diameter (preferably non-stick) with butter and dust it with flour, then pour in the cake mixture.

Put the cake into the preheated oven for 40 minutes until it feels firm. Let it cool before turning out. Dust the top with icing sugar. You could cut the shape of a Santiago cross out of paper and place it int the middle of the cake before dusting with icing sugar.