German nut cake | Imamother

imasinger

Thu, Mar 26 2015, 8:47 pm

I am sharing this recipe in part because of the wonderful story that goes with it. My good friend gave me this recipe, which she got from her grandmother, a"h.

Last year, I decided to make it. I served it at a meal where we had a crowd, maybe 25 or so. Some of the guests we knew; others were random visitors looking for hospitality in the area. I was busy in the kitchen, and didn't have much time to shmooze.

At the end of the meal, one of the random guests, an older gentleman, came over to me to thank me. He had tears in his eyes as he told me that he hadn't tasted a cake like this in at least 60 years, and his own grandmother used to make it at Pesach time. "I had 3 pieces", he told me. "You filled my stomach, and brought back such wonderful memories."

So, here is the recipe.

Heat oven to 350.

7 oz ground almonds
7 oz ground filberts
(You can do either kind of nut, or a mixture, aim for 200g in total).
1 C sugar
9 eggs, separated
3 T matza meal (you can probably omit this or put in a little potato starch if you don't do gebrochts).
2 t vanilla or vanilla sugar

Cream egg yolks and sugar; add everything else except the whites.

Mix whites until stiff. Fold together.

You can use several loaf pans, or a round or square pan. I made it in a springform pan. Bake for about 50 min (35-45 if making two smaller pans). Test for doneness with a toothpick. Cool in pan. Cake may fall, that's OK. You can glaze it with a chocolate coating after it is cool, if desired.

It's a little dry (no oil except what the nuts contain), so I think it's best paired with fruit or something creamy.