Embarrassing, again: Sorry about the bite. I don't think I took even one food pic on the trip without tasting the food first. So, what's in that picture? Perfection, that's what. It's an almond cake - tarta de almendras - from a little tiny bar up in the mountains in Spain. More on that in another post.
The owner speaks no English - and I speak very little Spanish. I have asked for the recipe for this but to no avail. Apparently his sister bakes them. But guys, I'm dying here. I want to be able to make this SO badly. So, can anyone help me out? With all the custardmaking that's been going on lately, surely someone knows the tricks to this? I'll try my best to describe it.
1. It's definitely custardlike, soft and squishy, but not really wobbly.
2. It has a caramel on top with a few pieces of almond. I don't worry about recreating this part, I'm sure it's fairly easy.
3. I don't *think* there's any almonds in the custard itself.
4. He has other versions too, including a chocolate one. Not as good, but the exakt same texture.
5. For some reason, I keep thinking it involves condensed milk.. but I could be wrong.
So.. any ideas? If there's a winner, I promise a nice prize, of your choice. Heck, I'll almost promise my first-born to get this cake - it's that good.
9 comments:
mmm..looks so good! I bet it contains dulce de leche (caramelized condensed milk), a common ingredient in Spanish flans.
I think it is an almond flan. this recipe says it's the national dish of spain (who decides these things, anyway?), made with ground almonds, but no condensed milk. This recipe uses condensed milk and almond extract.
Oooh Nic, I think you're on to something! Will try out especially the first recipe, as soon as I can! It sounds VERY promising!
hmmm... this looks like leche flan.
Hi Anne! I´m a fellow food-lover in Stockholm, who enjoys reading your blog from time to time. I was born in Sweden, but my dad is spanish and I was raised on his excellent cooking.
Anyway, I can definitely confirm that the dessert on the picture is a flan, the spanish equivalent of a creme brulée. It is made with eggs, sugar, milk or cream, and can be flavoured with pretty much anything, in this case almonds. The sauce comes from coating the tin in which the flan is cooked (bain marie in the oven) with caramel.
Hi Mikaela!! Does your dad by chance have a good recipe? :) The flans I've tasted have been much.. "flabbier" than this one though, and more wobbly - this tarta was more creamy and soft! Thanks for reading! :)
I´ll check with him and also ask if he knows of a cake that resembles flan, but is firmer in texture. The spaniards are quite fond of milk- and egg-based desserts, so this might be the case.
Otherwise I suppose you could try altering a basic flan-recipe, fiddling with the egg-milk/cream ratio. More egg should produce a firmer cake.
Thanks for a great blog!
I am looking for tarta de almendras receipe and happened to found something that might meet your criteria. Check this adress: www.nutricionyrecetas.com/recetas/tartas/4687.htm.
I just returned from Spain and I can confirm that this must be flan and not tarta. Lots of luck !
aljosa
Aljosa - now, THAT looks really promising! With almonds in the batter! Ooh! Nice! I can't quite understand all the recipe, but I'll have it translated. Thank you!
Post a Comment