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Almond Cake With Fresh Berries

6 to 8 servings

CAKE

• 1/3 cup plus 1 tablespoon tightly packed almond paste (4 ounces)
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1 stick (1/2 cup) unsalted butter, plus more for greasing the pan
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 3 large eggs
• 1/4 cup milk
• Dash of salt
• 1 cup cake flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder

SYRUP

• 3 tablespoons water
• 3 tablespoons whiskey, rum or cognac
• 1/4 cup sugar

GARNISH

• 1-1/2 pounds mixed berries
• 1/2 cup apricot jam diluted with 1/2 cup water
• 8 to 10 mint leaves
• 1 cup crème frache or sour cream

Make cake:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter an 8-inch round cake pan. Line the pan with parchment paper and butter the paper.

Put almond past, sugar, 1 stick of butter and vanilla in a food processor and process for 10 seconds. Add eggs, milk and salt and process for 5 seconds. Add flour and baking powder and process for 5 to 10 seconds, until smooth. Pour into pan and bake for 45 minutes. Let cool.

Meanwhile, combine the syrup ingredients in a small bowl. Stir to dissolve the sugar.

Remove cake from pan and transfer to a platter. With a spoon or pastry brush, moisten cake with syrup. Scatter the berries on top of the cake and around it. Spoon on the apricot jam and garnish with mint leaves. Serve with sour cream or crème frache.

Tip: Make the cake early in the day and assemble before serving.

(From ““Fast Food My Way” by Jacques Pépin , Houghton Mifflin.)

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