I spent a little while at IKEA this past Sunday as I got a refund – of store credit and decided to get a couple of things for our condo. I had read on Chocolate & Zuchini about these mysterious candies – Daim that I had not seen before at IKEA not that I was previously seeking them out. I did decide from the description of this cake that I should probably make it as a contender for Christmas Eve dinner. I found them next to the check out and got 2 bags. I saved one bag and made the cake with the other.
Gâteau aux Daims
- 3 C all-purpose flour
- 3 tsp baking powder
- 1/4 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp freshly grated nutmeg
- 1 1/2 cups (300g) Daims
- 1/4 C ground almonds
- 1 C unsalted butter
- 1 1/2 C granulated sugar
- 1/4 C light brown sugar
- 4 large eggs
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 C plain yogurt
- Confectioner’s sugar (optional)
Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F) and grease a 10-inch cake pan.
Unwrap the Daims and chop them roughly with a knife, not too thinly: you want Daims chunks, not Daims powder. In a medium mixing-bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, nutmeg and ground almonds. In a smaller bowl, toss the chopped Daims with a tablespoon of the flour mixture.
Cream the butter in the food processor for 3 minutes. Add in the granulated sugar and mix for 2 minutes. Add in the brown sugar and mix for another minute. Add in the eggs, one at a time, mixing well between each addition. Add in the vanilla extract and mix again.
Add the flour mixture in three additions, alternating them with the yogurt in two additions, beginning and ending with the flour mixture. Avoid overmixing the batter. Stir in the chopped Daims, and pour the batter into the cake pan, leveling the surface with a spatula.
Put into the oven to bake for 55 minutes to an hour, until the cake turns brown and a knife inserted in the center comes out clean. Let rest for five minutes on a rack, unmold and return to the rack to cool completely. Dust the top with confectioner’s sugar if desired.
[Recipe adapted from Lisa Yockelson's Buttercrunch almond tea cake, in her book Baking by Flavor]
You can find more information and a small blurb by Clothide at Chocolate & Zuchini.
Filed under: Food , Baking, Cake, Chocolate & Zuchini, Daims, Easy Recipes, IKEA