Almond Cakes

Ingredients:—Six ounces of flour, eight ounces of sugar, two ounces of ground or finely-pounded almonds (with a few bitter-almonds), six yolks of eggs, two whole eggs, four whites whipped, a glass of brandy, a little salt, four ounces of chopped almonds mixed with two ounces of sugar, and half the white of an egg.

First, work the butter in a basin with a spoon, until it presents a creamy appearance; next add the flour, sugar, almonds, brandy, eggs, and salt, gradually; then mix in the whipped white of eggs, lightly: pour this paste on a baking-sheet, about an inch and a half deep (previously buttered), and bake it of a light colour. When the cake is nearly done, spread the prepared chopped almonds over the top, and then put it back again into the oven to finish baking; when done, the almonds should be of a light-fawn colour. Turn the cake out carefully; and when cold, cut it up into bands of about an inch and a half wide; then again divide these into diamond-shaped cakes, and dish them up pyramidically.

Some whipped cream may be placed in the centre of the dish, and the cakes neatly dished up round it.

Dried cherries, sultana-raisins, currants, any kind of candied-peel, pistachios, or Spanish nuts, may be added. The cakes may also be flavoured with any kind of essence or liqueur.