Recipe: Almond-Lemon Torte with Lemon Glaze

ALMOND-LEMON TORTE

7 eggs, room temperature, separated
3/4 cup sugar
2 cups coarsely ground almonds
2 tsp grated lemon rind
Lemon Glaze (recipe below)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour a 10-inch springform pan.

Beat egg yolks until thick and lemon colored. Add sugar, stirring well. Stir in almonds and lemon rind. Set aside.

In a large mixing bowl, beat egg whites (at room temperature) at high speed until stiff peaks form (2-4 minutes). Gently fold beaten egg whites into almond mixture. Pour batter into prepared pan.

Bake in a preheated oven at 350 degrees F for 1 hour or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pan 10 minutes.

Prick surface of torte at 1-inch intervals, using a wooden pick. Pour warm glaze over torte in the pan, and let stand 10 minutes. Remove torte from pan, and let cool completely on a wire rack.

LEMON GLAZE:
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup lemon juice
1 egg yolk, beaten
2 tsp grated lemon rind
1 tsp butter

In a small saucepan, combine sugar, lemon juice, egg yolk, and lemon rind, mix well. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly until mixture thickens slightly. Remove from heat; add butter, stirring until butter melts. Yield: 2/3 cup.