Monday, August 6, 2007

ALMOND CAKE FROM REIMS (FRANCE)

A few weeks ago, the sweet Claire at "Le Sens Du Goût" (France) sent me two packets of the famous twice baked "Biscuits Roses De Reims" ("Pink Biscuits Of Reims"), a gourmet speciality from her hometown of Reims (see infos) in the Champagne-Ardenne region of Northern France. Those confections date back to the 17th century and are often dipped in liquor, sweet wine, red wine or Champagne...

It all started one day in July when I commented on one of her recipes (see link). She had made a beautiful cake with those biscuits and I wrote that it was a pity we didn't find them here, because I really wanted to test her recipe. She then proposed to send me some as she thought that I deserved a taste of that regional speciality. So, some days later, the postman left her parcel in my letter box. It was with big pleasure that I discovered it waiting for me in it's compartment. Her present made me really very happy as it meant that I was going to be able to test all those gorgeous recipes for sweet treats made with those cute little pink ladyfingers!

For my first use of the "Biscuits De Reims", I decided upon making the cake I saw on her blog: an "Almond Cake". Let me tell you that I was not deceived at all by it as it is delicious, soft, smooth, delicate and light like sponge cake. Somehow, it reminds me of "Carrot Cake" texture- and taste-wise (that's maybe because of the ground almond and lemon zest)... Those pink biscuits add an interesting nutty flavor as well as an uncomparable fluffy texture to this cake. A real delicacy!

Thanks for your generosity, Claire!
If you had not made this kind gift, I would never have known that gorgeous speciality!

~ Almond Cake From Reims ~
Recipe by Fossier and slightly adapted by Rosa @ Rosa's Yummy Yums

Ingredients:
20g Ground almonds
70g Unsalted butter, melted
165g Castor sugar
3 Eggs (~53g), separated
12 Biscuits Roses De Reims
The zest of 1 lemon
1 1/2 Tsps Vanilla extract

Method:
1. Preheat the oven to 180° C (350° F) and grease a 20cm (7.8 inches) round cake pan.
2. Put the "Biscuits Roses De Reims" in the bowl of your mixer and grind until powder-like.
3. In a big bowl, beat together the egg yolks with the sugar until fluffy and light colored.
4. Add the lemon zest, vanilla extract, the biscuit powder, the ground almonds and the butter.
5. Mix well for about 5 minutes until smooth.

6. Beat the egg whites until fluffy and stiff.
7. Incorporate them delicately to the biscuit mixture in order to get a homogenous batter.
8. Pour this batter into the cake pan.

9. Bake for about 20-25 minutes or until a skewer inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean.
10. Cool on a wire rack.

Remarks:
If you don't have any "Biscuits De Reims", then use ladyfingers and add a few drops of red food coloring to the batter.

The ground biscuits should resemble fine semolina flour. It should not look like coarse meal.
I guess that you could replace the castor sugar by light brown sugar and the lemon zest by orange zest.

Serving suggestions:
Eat at any time of the day and serve with "Crème Anglaise" (see infos) or red fruits (salad or coulis).

33 comments:

  1. Ca a l'air délicieux. Une sympathique manière d'utiliser les biscuits de Reims !!
    It's seem delicious !!

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  2. Quelle merveille ! Je suis sous le charme ...

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  3. This looks like a seriously tasty cake!

    ps the "Biscuits Roses de Reims"-link doesn't work...

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  4. Superbe idée de cake avec des biscuits de Reims !
    Avec une bonne crème anglaise,Hummm...!

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  5. Ce gâteau est une belle réussite.

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  6. This cake looks divine...and now I have to look for these biscuits!

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  7. Avec les biscuits de Reims c'est une bien belle idée originale.
    Bisous, Doria

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  8. Ces fameux biscuit rose me fascine et m'intrigue.Tu en a fait quel chose de très tentant aussi...
    Bonne journée

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  9. Un cadeau qui t'a bien reussi on dirait.

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  10. Très belle manière d'utiliser ces biscuits :)

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  11. J'adore la consistance de ton gâteau, moelleuse et fondante d'après les photos... La couleur, légèrement rosée, me plaît aussi.
    Il en reste encore...?

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  12. Je trouve ces biscuits trop jolis mais n'avais jamais eu d'idée pour les utiliser. Merci de ton idée gourmande

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  13. C'est une bonne idée d'utiliser les biscuits de reims comme ça et quelle jolie couleur rosée!

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  14. Fabuleux ce gâteau... Je note la recette, j'ai justement des biscuits de Reims dans mon placard.

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  15. Oh what a treat Rosa...thank you :D hhehe...

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  16. gâtée? ;-D tu le mérites bien! la couleur de ce gâteau est absolument ravissante! j'adore les amandes!

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  17. uauuu, qu'il est beau ton gâteau!

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  18. Ton gâteau a l'air succulent, moëlleux comme il faut ! Miam!

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  19. mmmm, DROOL. i can only imagine....

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  20. Je les aime beaucoup ces biscuits qui était souvent à l'honneur dans ma famille. Chez moi, on les trempait dans un vin que l'on coupait d'un peu d'eau, que l'on sucrait et qu'on mettait à chauffer au bout de la cuisinière. Ensuite on faisait la touillette... étonnant mais un délice

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  21. super recette avec des biscuits roses, très originale et tes photos sont magnifiques...quel moelleux !!

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  22. avec une petite coupe de champagne ^^ bien joué, très appétissant, biz

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  23. il doit être excellent ton gateau!! biiises micky

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  24. Il a l'air bien réussi ce gâteau, j'y goûterais volontiers!

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  25. Un vrai péché de gourmandise.

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  26. Je note immédiatement cette recette ! J'adore les biscuirétro qui me plaît beaucoup ...
    Bisous
    Hélène

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  27. This looks absolutely delicious!

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  28. ce gateau a l'air d'avoir une consistance trop sympa !
    je suis pas tres biscuits roses de reims, mais la, je crois que je vais quand meme me laisser tenter !

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  29. Il a l'air délicieux ton gâteau.

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  30. Merci à tous et toutes pour vos commentaires et votre visite sur mon blog!

    Thanks for your kind comments and for passing by!

    Bises/cheers,

    Rosa

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  31. Ce gateau a l'amande va me faire tomber par terre ... IL est magnifique ! Moi qui aime les amandes ... J'ajoute à ça que je trouve que tu fais des photos superbes ...

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  32. So luscious and tempting. I just cannot wait try this in my kitchen this weekend.

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