Ingredients
Cake
- 400 gground almonds
- 300 gcaster sugar
- 8eggs, separated
- 80 gfine breadcrumbs
- or 80 g plain flour
- zest of 2 oranges
- zest of 1 lemon
- 1 teaspoonground cinnamon
- a pinch of ground cloves
- a pinch of salt
To add
- 100 gcandied orange peel
- finely chopped
- 50 gcandied lemon peel
- 2 tablespoonsrum or maraschino
- or 2 tablespoons orange juice
To finish
- icing sugar, for dusting
- or a thin lemon glaze
- flaked almonds, optional
To serve
- in thin slices
- strong coffee
- a small glass of rakija
Directions
- Flour works but gives a slightly tougher result. The whites are beaten separately to stiff peaks. Grease a deep round tin thoroughly. Line the base with baking paper.
- Dust the sides with ground almonds. They also stop it sticking as it rises. Chop the candied peel very finely. Toss it with a spoonful of the ground almonds. Coating it keeps the pieces separate. Sprinkle the rum over the chopped peel. Let it sit for twenty minutes. Orange juice works if you prefer no alcohol.
- Put the egg yolks in a large bowl. Add most of the sugar to them. Keep a few spoonfuls back for the whites. Beat them together thoroughly. Judging the yolks takes a look. Add the orange and lemon zest. Add the cinnamon and the cloves. Beat them in only briefly afterwards.
- Zest only the coloured outer layer. A fine grater takes only the zest. Wash unwaxed fruit thoroughly first. Fold the ground almonds into the yolks. Add the breadcrumbs with them. Fold them in gently rather than beating. The mixture becomes very thick. Fold the soaked peel through the mixture. Put the egg whites in a clean dry bowl. Add a good pinch of salt to them.
- Beat them until they hold soft peaks. Any grease stops whites whipping properly. Use a glass or metal bowl rather than plastic. Add the reserved sugar a spoonful at a time. Keep beating between each addition.
- Beat until the peaks are stiff and glossy. Judging the whites takes a look. Stir a third of the whites into the almond mixture. Stir that first third in properly. The almond mixture is far too stiff to fold into. Add the remaining whites in two additions. Fold with a large metal spoon. Cut down through the middle and lift over.
- Turn the bowl steadily as you go. Stop the moment no white streaks remain. Tip the batter into the prepared tin. Scatter flaked almonds over it if you like.
- Heat the oven to one hundred and seventy degrees. Bake it for about fifty minutes. A high oven browns the almonds too fast. Let it cool in the tin completely. Do not turn it out while warm. Dust it generously with icing sugar. Or brush a thin lemon glaze over it.
- Wrap it well and leave it overnight. Serving it is done in thin slices. Cut it with a long very sharp knife. Serve strong coffee alongside. It keeps a week in a sealed tin.
Technique
- There is almost no flour: ground almonds carry the whole body and beaten egg whites give all the lift, with no baking powder at all, which makes it dense and rich but not heavy and closer to a torte than a sponge. Losing that whipped air gives a flat dense result.
- The almond mixture is far too stiff to fold whites into directly, so a third of the whites is stirred in properly first to loosen it, and only then are the rest folded gently; every extra fold knocks out air that cannot be replaced.
- Fine dry breadcrumbs replace most of the flour, absorbing moisture without adding gluten and keeping the crumb tender; it is a traditional Adriatic technique, and flour works but gives a slightly tougher result.
Substitutions
- Plain flour stands in for breadcrumbs, giving a slightly tougher crumb.
- Orange juice replaces the rum where alcohol is not wanted.
Variations
- Some bakers glaze it with lemon and others simply dust it with icing sugar.
- Maraschino is used in place of rum in some households.
- Almond cakes of this kind run right along the Adriatic coast.
History
A Boka pastry tradition shaped by Venetian rule and the trade in almonds and candied peel.
Frequently asked questions
What is Kotorska torta?
Kotorska torta is a dessert from Montenegro: rich almond and citrus cake from the Bay of Kotor, served in thin slices. A Boka pastry tradition shaped by Venetian rule and the trade in almonds and candied peel.
How long does Kotorska torta take to make?
Kotorska torta takes 45 minutes of preparation and 50 minutes of cooking. The recipe makes one cake, serves 16. It is rated medium to make.
What can I substitute in Kotorska torta?
Yes, within limits. Plain flour stands in for breadcrumbs, giving a slightly tougher crumb. Orange juice replaces the rum where alcohol is not wanted.
What is the most important thing to get right in Kotorska torta?
Zest only the coloured outer layer. A fine grater takes only the zest. Wash unwaxed fruit thoroughly first. Fold the ground almonds into the yolks. Add the breadcrumbs with them. Fold them in gently rather than beating. The mixture becomes very thick. Fold the soaked peel through the mixture. Put the egg whites in a clean dry bowl. Add a good pinch of salt to them.
