Ingredients
4 cups nuts, 1 kind or an assortment, roasted and cooled
1 1/2 cups sugar
3/4 cups butter or margarine
5 large eggs, separated
1 1/2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 tablespoon grated lemon peel
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
Directions
- Place nuts in a food processor and grind until finely ground.
- In a bowl beat 1/2 cup of sugar and 1/4 cup of the butter until blended. Add the egg yolks, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Mix in the ground nuts, lemon juice, lemon peel and all but 2 tablespoons of the flour.
- In a deep bowl beat egg whites with a mixer on high speed until soft peeks form. Gradually beat in 1/4 cup sugar until the whites hold stiff, shiny peaks. Gently fold the whites into the yolk mixture.
- Spoon the batter into a buttered and floured 9-inch cheesecake pan with removable rim. Bake in a 350 degree oven until the torte is very lightly browned and the center feels just barely firm to the touch, about 20 to 25 minutes.
- To prepare the topping, in a medium sized pot melt remaining 1/2 cup butter over a medium heat. Add the remaining sugar, flour and nuts. Stir the mixture until bubbling. Immediately spoon the toffee topping evenly over hot torte, pushing nuts with a spoon to arrange decoratively. Return to oven and bake until nuts and topping are slightly more brown, about 15 to 20 minutes longer.
- Cool torte in the pan for 10 minutes, then run a knife inside the pan rim to release. Remove pan rim. Serve torte warm or cool.
- TIP: PAN ROASTING ALMONDS
- Spread shelled nuts in a single layer on a baking pan. Bake in a 350 degree oven, stirring often, until golden, about 15 minutes.