Gateau Aux Amandes

This is a very unassuming cake, but let me tell you that this can be placed in any Parisian bakery!


1 1/3 cups sugar
8 ounces almond paste
1 cup AP flour
1/2 cup unsalted butter
1/2 cup Crisco
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon almond extract
1/4 teaspoon fresh nutmeg
6 large eggs
1/2 cup 60% cacao chocolate chips-must be 60%!

 Preheat the oven to 325º.  Grease a 9- or 10-inch cake or spring form pan with butter, dust it with flour and tap out any excess. In the bowl of a food processor, grind the sugar, almond paste, and 1/4 cup of flour until the almond paste is finely ground and the mixture resembles sand.

 In a small bowl, whisk together the remaining 3/4 cup of flour, baking powder, and salt.
 Once the almond paste is completely broken up, add the cubes of butter, Crisco, nutmeg and the vanilla and almond extracts, then process until the batter is very smooth and fluffy.
Add the eggs one at a time, processing a bit before the next addition.

 Add half the flour mixture and pulse the machine a few times, then add the rest, pulsing the machine until the dry ingredients are just incorporated, but do not over mix.

Scrape the batter into the prepared cake pan. Then sprinkle the chocolate chips on top of the cake. Bake the cake for 65 minutes, or until the top is deep brown and feels set when you press in the center. Invert cake to cool on rack and serve.