What would the holiday be without a stunning fresh dessert option and Katie, the Parsley Thief does not disappoint. This recipe can be prepared with a 8″ springform pan but Katie used a 9″ pan that worked out fine. As a note: To grind the almonds down to a fine consistency (without ending up with almond butter!), pulse them in a food processor with the 2 tablespoons of sugar until finely ground (11 ounces whole almonds should give you the 2 1/3 cups you’ll need). Alternatively, you can also use almond meal – Bob’s Red Mill makes a great one. This cake tastes best when served the second day, so if possible, make it ahead of time.
Clementine Cake
Ingredients
5 clementines {about 1 pound}
6 large eggs
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar
2 1/3 cups ground almonds
1 heaping teaspoon baking powder
confectioners’ sugar
clementine juice {optional}
Directions
Makes one 9″ cake
Place the clementines in a saucepan, cover them with water and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer and cook for 2 hours. Drain, and set aside until cool. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Butter a 9″ springform pan and line the bottom with parchment paper. (Note: a springform pan is a must here – the cake will be near impossible to remove without it!)
Cut the clementines in half, remove the seeds, and add them (skins, pith, and all) to the bowl of a food processor. Process until finely chopped. You can also chop them by hand.
Add the eggs to a mixing bowl and beat with a whisk, or an electric mixer. Add the sugar, almonds, and baking powder; mix well. Add in the clementines, and stir until combined. Pour the mixture into the prepared pan and bake for about 1 hour. Start checking on the cake at about 40 minutes – you’ll know it’s done when a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cover the cake with foil about halfway through the cooking time, to prevent the top from getting too brown. Transfer to a cooling rack, and cool completely before releasing from the pan.
Serve dusted with confectioners’ sugar – or even better, whip up a quick glaze by whisking together sifted confectioners’ sugar with a bit of clementine juice, until you have the consistency you’d like. Drizzle over the top of the cake and serve.
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