Passover Apple Almond Cake (Nigella Lawson cake my way)

Apple Puree
1-2 Granny Smith apples
2 tsp lemon juice
1 tsp sugar

Cake
Oil or butter to grease the tins
4 large eggs, separated
1 & 1/2 cups (165 g) almond meal
1/2 cup + 1 tablespoon sugar,
3 teaspoon lemon juice

Topping
1/3 cup almonds, ground into tiny bits, but not completely ground

Brown sugar syrup
1/3 cup water, room temperature
1 tablespoon brown sugar

Optional
1 cup whipped cream
1 teaspoon powdered sugar
Fresh berries

Peel, core and chop the apples roughly. Place the apples in a microwave proof bowl with the lemon juice and sugar and loosely cover. Microwave on high for 4 minutes or until you can mash the apple to a rough puree with a wooden spoon or fork. You can also stew the apples in a saucepan. (You should have about 143 g /generous ½ cup of puree.) Leave to cool.

Preheat the oven to 350 F (180° C). Grease and flour two 8-inc (20 cm) non-stick round spring form with butter or oil and potato starch. Line the bases with baking paper.

Put the cooled apple puree into a large bowl. Blitz to a puree using a stick blender. Measure 1/2 cup of apple puree and stir in the egg yolks, almond meal, 1/2 cup of sugar and 3 tsp of lemon juice to make a thick batter. Whip the egg whites in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment until the egg whites have formed stiff peaks. Add the remaining tablespoon of sugar and beat until combined. Gently fold the egg whites through the apple puree mixture.

Pour the mixture into prepared form and bake for 35-40 minutes for the sandwich tins. It's worth checking 5 minutes before the suggested time, as ovens do vary. Put the form onto a wire rack to cool slightly before unmoulding. When cake is cooled, remove the lining paper from the cake.

Prepare brown sugar syrup. In a small sauce pan, add brown sugar and water and bring to a boil. Stir constantly for about 5 minutes and reduce heat to medium. Remove from heat and brush the top of the cake. Sprinkle with almonds bits and with clean hands slightly press them into cake. If you have extra syrup, drizzle over the nuts.

Serve with whipped cream, fresh berries or just sift powdered sugar over the top of the cake, just before serving. Keep in airtight container for 2 days.

If you want layered cake, double the ingredients and bake two cakes. Sandwich them with whipped cream or jam. Keep refrigerated.

Idea comes from Jillian Leiboff's blog