ALMOND CREAM CAKE RECIPES

_Tarta de Santiago—Galicia_ This is a splendid cake. I have eaten almond cakes in other parts of Spain, but this one is special. Pilgrims and tourists who visit the great Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela in Galicia, where the relics of the apostle Saint James are believed to be buried, see the cake in the windows of every pastry shop and restaurant. It is usually marked with the shape of the cross of the Order of Santiago. I have watched the cake being made in many sizes, big and small, thin and thick, over a pastry tart base at a bakery called Capri in Pontevedra. This deliciously moist and fragrant homey version is without a base. There is sometimes a little cinnamon added, but I find that masks the delicate flavor of orange and almonds and prefer it without it. When I suggested to a man associated with the tourist office in Galicia that the _tarta_ was a Jewish Passover cake, I was dragged to a television studio to tell it to all. The hosts thought the idea made sense. The Galician city of Coruña is on the Jewish tourist route, because of its synagogue and old Jewish quarter. Jews from Andalusia, who fled from the Berber Almohads' attempts to convert them in the twelfth and thirteenth centuries came to Galicia, where they planted grapevines and made wine. The cake is normally made in a wide cake or tart pan and so comes out low, but it is equally good as a thicker cake.

Provided by Claudia Roden

Yield Serves 10

Number Of Ingredients 7

• Ingredients

When you want an extra-special dessert for the holidays, it’s hard to beat a seasonal homemade cake. I like to drizzle mine with a simple but elegant glaze flavored with amaretto. —Jackie Howell, Tucson, Arizona

Provided by Taste of Home

Categories     Desserts

Total Time 01 hours 30 minutes

Prep Time 35 minutes

Cook Time 55 minutes

Yield 16 servings.

Number Of Ingredients 18

• Ingredients

Nutrition Facts : Calories 465 calories, FatContent 20g fat (11g saturated fat), CholesterolContent 108mg cholesterol, SodiumContent 187mg sodium, CarbohydrateContent 66g carbohydrate (46g sugars, FiberContent 2g fiber), ProteinContent 6g protein.