Clementine Almond Cake
I learned this recipe from Ruth, a classmate in adult Torah study at Lab/Shul with Rabbi Amichai Lau-Lavie. To celebrate our final class, Ruth served us a splendid dinner finished with this unforgettably moist and tasty cake.
Each student had a reason to study. Some wanted to become b’nei mitzvah (sons and daughters of the commandments). There was a newly-engaged mixed-faith couple. Another classmate wanted to “convert the other half.” Ruth, who had been raised Jewish many decades before, was planning, late in life, her “re-mitzvah.” With the great variety of Jewishness in the room, I was reminded of my friend Jesse Kornbluth, who says, “I’m Jewish, on my parents’ side.”
In the Torah, Ruth was the ger, or stranger, and that could describe my role in the class. Having married a Jewish man, I came to study. I did not want to be the least-informed member of the congregation at our children’s Tri-Mitzvah, which was then several years in the future. In fact the moniker “Tri-Mitzvah” had not yet entered our heads, because we did not know our three kids would be called to read Torah on the same day, led beautifully by Rabbi Misha Shulman of The New Shul, where I now study.
Except that unlike the biblical Ruth or my classmate, I never converted. It was enough to read “The Blessings of the Mother” at the Tri-Mitzvah. It was the most fun I ever had giving a speech, and I love public speaking.
With just five ingredients, the cake is truly simple. The recipe can be found all over; this is how I like it. Nigella Lawson says she also makes it with lemon (in which case, more sugar, which I would do by tasting the batter) and one day perhaps I’ll try that because I love tart things. I would tart-en this up for everyday eating by keeping the sugar in the batter to one cup. I have used almonds with skins and without. With skins, the cake has a more rustic texture – and more nutrients. You could buy almond “flour” but it’s often stale.
As clementine-almond cake is delicious a day (or even two) after baking, and contains no chametz (wheat, rye, barley, oats or spelt), it is perfect for gluten-free guests and, of course, for Passover.
Chag sameach.
Clementine Almond Cake
6 medium clementines
2 c (scant) almonds or macadamia nuts to yield 2 c ground nuts
6 eggs
1¼ c sugar
1 tsp baking powder
for the syrup
2 c fresh orange juice (or clementine juice)
¼ c sugar
1 orange for zest (much easier then clementine zest)
Sliced almonds (optional)
Wash the clementines and remove the stems.
Cover with water and simmer clementines gently for about 90 minutes, until completely soft.
As clementines are cooking, grind the almonds (or macadamias) in food processor until they are a fine powder (not a paste). Set aside.
Cut open clementines and remove any seeds. Puree the rest, pulp and rind.
Set the oven to 325-350 F. I prefer a low oven here, because I don’t like brown edges.
Mix clementine puree, ground nuts, sugar, and baking powder in the food processor until very smooth.
Oil or butter an 8-inch pan or line with oiled parchment, or both. I use a round pan with sides that pop off. I put oiled paper on the bottom and oil the sides.
Bake for about 1 hour. After about forty minutes you may wish to cover the top, and uncover it near the end, to see that it’s evenly browned.
Make the syrup. Gently simmer the orange juice and sugar, stirring constantly, until it’s thick, about 15 minutes.
Run a butter knife around the edges. Remove the pan from the cake very gently and place on the final serving dish, bottom or top up, whichever is prettier. When it’s cool enough to touch, poke the top all over with a small stick. Later you will not notice small holes.
Pour the syrup in the holes and spread gently with a brush or your fingers, even letting it run down the sides. Zest an orange and scatter those strips on top.
Optional: cover with sliced almonds.
