Gateau Trois Freres ( Three Brothers Cake )

Total Time: 35 mins Preparation Time: 15 mins Cook Time: 20 mins

Ingredients

• 4 1/3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and set aside
• 4 medium eggs, room temperature and separated
• 1/2 cup caster sugar
• 2 tablespoons caster sugar
• 1 teaspoon almond extract
• 1/2 cup jam, heated and strained after measuring. (apricot, peach or pineapple jam can be used )
• 1/2 cup almonds, blanched and slivered (coarsely crushed and briefly toasted.)
• 3 tablespoons candied fruit (diced small such as citron, lemon, orange, pineapple or cherries)

Recipe

• 1 preheat oven to 375 degrees f.
• 2 grease a five-cup ring mold with non-stick spray. (it is not essential that you use a trois freres mold ) beat egg yokes and 1/2 cup sugar in a large bowl until they are thick, pale and smooth (about 5 minutes). add 1 egg ( a scant 1/4 cup) to yoke mixture and beat inches with clean, dry beaters and in a separate bowl, beat remaining egg whites until they form stiff peaks. beat in remaining 2 tablespoons sugar to fortify and gloss the peaks. sift and stir rice flour into yoke mixture. stir in extract followed by a third of the egg whites (use a plastic or wooden spatula) gently fold in remaining egg whites. gently fold in melted butter. pour batter evenly into lightly browned and a skewer inserted in cake tests clean. remove from oven and let cool for 10 minutes. invert cake onto cooling rack . let cool completely before brushing cake with warm jam, dusting with toasted crushed almonds and pressing candied pieces into top and sides. cake is best served same day it is baked but keeps well under plastic bowl at room temperature.