The thin skin of a clementine is easy to peel and perfect in a recipe that calls for dropping the whole fruit — juicy segments, sweet peel and sharp pith — into the foamy batter.
Clementine cake bakes up moist and fragrant with just a whiff of bitter. A Passover tradition in many families, this cake calls for neither butter nor flour.
CLEMENTINE CAKE
1 1/2 c. ground blanched almonds (sold as almond flour or meal), plus 1 to 2 T. for the pan
2 oranges (or 1/4 lbs. clementines)
6 eggs
1 1/4 c. sugar
2 T. orange-blossom water, optional
1 t. baking powder
1/2 t. kosher salt
Lightly oil a 9-inch springform pan. Dust with 1 to 2 tablespoons ground almonds.
Wash oranges. Settle whole oranges in a bowl and fill with cold water until the oranges float. Zap in the microwave until very soft, 23 to 25 minutes. Alternatively, settle oranges in a saucepan, fill with cold water until they float, cover and boil until very soft, about 1 1/2 hours.
Pull oranges out of their bath. Pull off little green nubs on top. Slice each in half along its equator and pluck out any seeds (clementines lack seeds). Drop fruit — skin and all — into the food processor. Swirl into completely smooth puree.
Whisk together eggs, sugar, orange-blossom water, baking powder, salt and 1 1/2 cups ground almonds. Whisk in orange puree.
Scrape batter into prepared pan. Bake at 375 degrees until springy in the center and a toothpick stabbed in the center comes out clean, 45 to 50 minutes. Cool. Run a knife around the edge of the pan to loosen cake. Unsnap pan rim. This moist cake is lovely unadorned; or glaze with 1 tablespoon lemon juice whisked into 1/4 cup powdered sugar. Makes 1 low 9-inch cake, serves 12.
(Adapted from “The Book of Jewish Food” by Claudia Roden.)
Wednesday, March 28, 2018