Small Almond Cake is a traditional British recipe, based on Robert Kemp Philp's recipe of 1859, for a classic cake made from rounds of shortcrust pastry covered with a mix of almonds, egg white, sugar, cream and orange flower water that's cooked until done. The full recipe is presented here and I hope you enjoy this classic British version of: Small Almond Cake.
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This is a classic recipe for a Victorian version of Small Almond Cake that's derived from Robert Kemp Philp's 1859 volume, The Dictionary of Daily Wants. Below you will find both the recipe in its original form and a modern redaction.
Original Recipe
Reduce to a paste half a pound of blanched almonds, with two or three bitter almonds, adding white of egg to prevent their oiling; then add a pound of sugar, a small teacupful of cream, and twenty drops of orange flower water. Make a flour paste in the usual way, of the thickness of a crownpiece, which cut into rounds or squares and cover with the preparation of almonds; bake in a hot oven and dredge with sugar.
Blanched almonds, 1/2lb.; bitter almonds, 2 or 3; sugar, 1lb.; orange flower water, 20 drops; cream, small teacupful.
Modern Redaction
Ingredients:
240g ground almonds
1 tsp beaten egg white
4 drops bitter almond extract
450g caster sugar
20 drops orange flower water
180ml cream
300g shortcrust pastry
icing sugar, to dust
Method:
Pound the ground almonds to a paste in a mortar then work in the egg white and bitter almond extract (this will help prevent the oil from coming out of the almonds). Transfer the paste to a bowl and work in the sugar and the cream. Form a smooth paste and work in the orange flower water then set aside.
In the meantime, prepare the pastry. Chill and roll out to about 4mm thick then cut into rounds or squares. Cover these pastry pieces with the almond mixture then place on a baking tray. Transfer to an oven pre-heated to 200°C and bake for about 12 minutes, or until cooked through. Dust with icing sugar and set aside to cool.
Blanched almonds, 1/2lb.; bitter almonds, 2 or 3; sugar, 1lb.; orange flower water, 20 drops; cream, small teacupful.