Tarta de Santiago
Flourless almond cake
Tarta de Santiago: Santiago de Compostela's flourless almond cake with the cross of St James
Pilgrims finishing the Camino in Santiago de Compostela see this cake in every bakery window around the cathedral, dusted white with icing sugar and stencilled with the cross of St James. It is made only from ground almonds, sugar, eggs and a little lemon and cinnamon, so it is naturally free of gluten, moist and dense with a thin crisp crust. Galicians eat it with coffee after Sunday lunch or at weddings. A common mistake is overbeating the eggs to a foam, which makes the cake rise and then sink; just mix until smooth. Chef's tip: cut a cross from paper and lay it on the cold cake before sifting over the icing sugar.
- Total time
- 55 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 8
Ingredients
- 5 eggs
- 9 oz caster sugar
- 9 oz ground almonds
- 1 tbsp grated lemon zest
- ½ tsp ground cinnamon
- 1 tsp olive oil or sunflower oilfor the tin
- 3 tbsp icing sugar
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Method
0/5 doneStep 1: Heat the oven to 350°F. Oil a 24 cm springform tin with 1 tsp olive oil or sunflower oil and line the base with baking paper.
5 minStep 2: Whisk 5 eggs and 9 oz caster sugar by hand for about 2 minutes, just until the sugar has dissolved and the mixture is smooth, without making it foamy.
3 minStep 3: Stir in 9 oz ground almonds, 1 tbsp grated lemon zest and ½ tsp ground cinnamon until evenly mixed. Pour into the tin and level the top.
3 minStep 4: Bake for 35–40 minutes, until the top is golden brown, the centre is just firm and a skewer comes out clean.
40 minStep 5: Cool completely in the tin, then turn out. Lay a paper cross in the middle, sift 3 tbsp icing sugar over the whole cake and lift the paper off carefully.
5 min
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 330 kcal
- Protein
- 10 g
- Carbs
- 34 g
- Fat
- 18 g
- Fibre
- 3 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does tarta de Santiago take?
- About 55 minutes in total: 15 minutes to prepare and 40 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 8 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegetarian?
- Yes. It has no meat or fish.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- Can I make it ahead?
- Yes. It keeps well, so you can cook it earlier in the day or the day before and reheat it.
- What can I use instead of eggs?
- 1 tbsp ground flaxseed + 3 tbsp water per egg, left for 5 minutes (baking only; vegan).
- What can I use instead of caster sugar?
- Caster sugar, same amount.
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