MANDARIN, RICOTTA AND ALMOND CAKE
Zesty mandarin, creamy ricotta and mellow almond meal combine to make a softly delicious treat.
120g soft unsalted butter
1 ¼ cups caster sugar
1 vanilla bean, split and seeds scraped out
⅓ cup mandarin zest
4 eggs, separated
2 cups almond meal
300 gram ricotta
½ cup flaked almonds
icing sugar
Method:
Preheat oven to 160 degrees. Line the base of a 24cm springform tin with non-stick baking paper and set aside. Put butter, ¾ cup of sugar, vanilla seeds and mandarin zest in a mixer and beat for 10 minutes or until creamy. Add egg yolks and beat for 1-2 minutes. Add almond meal and beat again. Put egg whites in a separate large bowl and whisk until stiff peaks. Add the remaining ½ cup of sugar to the egg whites and whisk until thick. Fold the egg white mixture through the almond meal mixture until combined. Pour mixture into springform, flatten out with palette knife and place the almond slivers on top. Bake for 40-45 minutes or until firm to the touch. Once cool, sprinkle with icing sugar and your done!