Fyrstekaka: Norwegian Almond Torte
By Cat, Dec 2011 (Photo, right, from Norway-Hei recipe for Fyrstekake (3))
A version of almond torte – layers of dough and almond paste – is made throughout Scandinavia. This recipe is the only version I have made, but I tried a version in each country I visited on my 2006 trip to Scandinavia. Very almondy – wonderful.
- See also: 1. Scandinavian Foods Menu; 2. Using a Springform Pan, and an Alternative;
- Other sites: 1. Almond Cake (Frangipan) (2); 2. Fyrstekaka, Norwegian Royalty Cake (Almond Torte) (3)
Danish Almond Torte (Mandelkage)
This version is adapted from Wonderful, Wonderful Danish Cooking, by Ingeborg Dahl Jensen (1). The alternate almond paste recipe is from Norway-Hei (3). I also sampled this version on my 2006 trip to Norway, where it is called Fyrstekake (3). The Swedes also have a version called Mazarin Torte, that includes fruit-flavored liqueur (such as lingonberry or cloudberry) in the almond paste.
It is baked in a round cake pan, and consists of a base layer of cake dough, topped with almond paste, then a lattice of cake dough on the top. Rather like an Austrian Linzer Torte in construction, but Danish and almondy!
Ingredients & Equipment:
NOTE: See below for alternate almond paste recipe that uses traditional spices, from Norway Hei recipe for Fyrstekake (3)
- Dough
- 1 ½ cup unbleached white flour
- ¼ tsp stevia extract powder (or ½ cup sugar)
- ½ cup butter
- 1 egg
- 1 tsp baking powder (aluminum-free)
- Almond paste
- ⅔ cup blanched almonds
- ⅔ cup powdered sugar (Rapadura brand, if you can find it, or Make Your Own Unrefined Powdered Sugar)
- 1 egg, beaten
- Equipment
- 2 bowls
- sifter
- nut grinder
- 9” round cake pan or springform pan (with removable bottom)
Method:
- Dough: Preheat oven to 375°F. Butter pan.
- Sift flour with stevia or sugar into bowl. Cut in butter.
- Beat egg and baking powder together then blend into flour mix. Set aside.
- Almond paste:* Grind almonds fine, or grate them into a bowl. You could use almond meal, but I don’t know the measure of ground almond from ⅔ cup whole almonds. Sift powdered sugar over the nuts and mix together. Blend in egg.
- Assemble: Divide dough into 2 parts. Form one part into a ball and place in cake pan. Work dough to cover bottom and sides. Spread almond paste evenly over the dough.
- Cut off pieces from second part of dough and roll with hands into rolls about ½” thick and about 9” long. Place these over the almond paste in a lattice pattern. With remaining dough, roll thin and place around the edge of the cake. Press ends together to seal.
- Bake in preheated oven about 30 minutes or until lightly browned. Remove from oven and place on cooling rack. Optional: while torte is still warm from oven, arrange a slice of blanched almond in the center of each grid in the lattice. Cool on rack, then cut into small wedges and remove carefully from pan.
‘* See below for alternate almond paste recipe that uses traditional spices, from Norway Hei recipe for Fyrstekake (3)
Alternate Almond Paste
This version is adapted from Norway Hei recipe for Fyrstekake (3), and makes a bit more than needed for the Danish recipe.
- ½ cup powdered sugar (Rapadura brand, if you can find it)
- 1-¼ cup ground almonds or almond meal
- ¼ tsp almond extract
- ½ tsp ground cinnamon
- ¼ tsp ground cardamom
- 1 egg lightly beaten
- 3-4 tsp water
Blend ingredients in a bowl, then proceed with assembly as in above recipe.
References
- Wonderful, Wonderful Danish Cooking, by Ingeborg Dahl Jensen
- Odense, Frangipan recipe (odense.com/index.php?page=recipe&id=12)
- Norway Hei, Fyrstekake or Royalty Cake, and Almond Cake recipe (norway-hei.com/fyrstekake.html) and photo (norway-hei.com/images/Fyrstekake.jpg).
