
A historical dessert from The White House cook book; a comprehensive cyclopedia of information for the home .. (1913). Set in a cool oven to dry, afterwards cover with a plain icing
Preserved exactly as written in the original source
Beat the whites of three eggs up with three cups of fine, white sugar
Blanch a pound of sweet almonds, pound them in a mortar with a little sugar, until a fine paste
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Add the whites of eggs, sugar and vanilla extract
Pound a few minutes to thoroughly mix
Cover the cake with a very thick coating of this, set in a cool oven to dry
Afterwards cover with a plain icing
Modern guidance to help you succeed with this vintage recipe
Pounding almonds with sugar prevents the nuts from releasing their oils and turning into butter, as the sugar crystals absorb moisture and create friction barriers. The egg whites provide structural proteins that, when combined with sugar, create a meringue-based coating that dries into a stable, crisp layer. Drying in a low oven (rather than baking) allows moisture to evaporate slowly without browning, setting the almond paste into a firm marzipan-like coating.
The almond paste (almonds pounded with sugar) can be made up to 2 days ahead and stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Bring to room temperature before combining with egg whites. Once assembled with egg whites, the frosting must be used immediately as it will begin to set.
Once applied and dried on the cake, store at room temperature loosely covered with parchment paper (not plastic, which traps moisture) for up to 3 days. The frosting will develop a pleasant, crisp exterior. Do not refrigerate, as humidity will cause the coating to weep and become sticky.
AI-generated tips from Chef Cecil's culinary database
The almond paste (almonds pounded with sugar) can be made up to 2 days ahead and stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Bring to room temperature before combining with egg whites. Once assembled with egg whites, the frosting must be used immediately as it will begin to set.
Once applied and dried on the cake, store at room temperature loosely covered with parchment paper (not plastic, which traps moisture) for up to 3 days. The frosting will develop a pleasant, crisp exterior. Do not refrigerate, as humidity will cause the coating to weep and become sticky.