Cherry and almond burnt butter torte

Employing that magical match of almonds, brown butter, vanilla and cherries, this is such a simple tart, with no pastry to worry about. Although it is simple, it presents beautifully, especially when heavily dusted with icing sugar. You can use other seasonal fruit, too.

• serves

  8-10

• prep

  10 minutes

• cook

  40 hours

• difficulty

  Easy

Ingredients

• 180 g (6½ oz) cold unsalted butter
• 1½ vanilla beans, slithered, cut very finely on the angle, plus extra for garnish
• 5 egg whites
• pinch of salt flakes
• 340 g (12 oz/2¾ cups) icing (confectioners’) sugar, plus extra for dusting
• 110 g (4 oz/¾ cup) plain (all-purpose) flour
• 100 g (3½ oz/1 cup) almond meal (ground almonds)
• ½ tsp natural almond extract
• 300 g (10½ oz) pitted cherries, halved (or other fruit, see Note)
• 2 tbsp flaked almonds

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 160°C (320°F). Spray a 24 cm (9½ in) loose-based fluted flan (tart) tin with cooking oil spray, and line the base with baking paper.
2. In a small saucepan, add butter and cook over a medium heat for 2 minutes, then add the vanilla. Cook for a further 2–3 minutes until the butter is brown with a nutty aroma, then take off the heat. Fish out the vanilla pieces and set aside to garnish the tart, once cooked. Tip the butter mixture into a bowl and allow to cool to room temperature.
3. Using an electric stand mixer, whisk the egg whites with a pinch of salt until forming peaks, then slowly rain in half the icing sugar until combined and glossy. Fold in the flour, ground almonds and remaining icing sugar with a spatula, then fold in the almond extract and the melted brown butter mixture, being careful to keep the mix aerated.
4. Pour into the flan tin, flattening gently with a spatula. Drop the cherries all over, then sprinkle the almonds around the edge.
5. Bake for 35–40 minutes, until the torte is puffed and very lightly golden – take care not to overbake and darken the torte. Cool to room temperature before unmoulding.
6. Dust the edges with icing sugar and garnish with vanilla slithers before serving.

Note

Adjust the torte to the season by using the same quantity of raspberries, blueberries, blackberries, or even diced quince paste, instead of the cherries.

 

This is an edited extract from Cook: Sweet by Karen Martini (Hardie Grant Books). Photography: © Armelle Habib

Cook's Notes

Oven temperatures are for conventional; if using fan-forced (convection), reduce the temperature by 20˚C. | We use Australian tablespoons and cups: 1 teaspoon equals 5 ml; 1 tablespoon equals 20 ml; 1 cup equals 250 ml. | All herbs are fresh (unless specified) and cups are lightly packed. | All vegetables are medium size and peeled, unless specified. | All eggs are 55-60 g, unless specified.