Tarta de Santiago
Tarta de Santiago (TAR-tah deh san-tee-AH-go)
Saint James Almond Cake
A moist, dense almond cake from Galicia with a tender crumb perfumed with lemon zest and cinnamon, famously decorated with a powdered sugar stencil of the Cross of Saint James.
Nutrition & Info
Allergen Warnings
Equipment Needed
Presentation Guide
Instructions
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1
Preheat oven to 170°C. Grease a 24cm round cake tin and line the base with parchment.
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2
Beat eggs and sugar together until pale and thick, about 5 minutes.
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3
Fold in ground almonds, lemon zest, and cinnamon gently until just combined.
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4
Pour batter into prepared tin and bake for 30-35 minutes until golden and a skewer comes out clean.
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5
Cool completely in the tin. Turn out and place a Cross of Saint James stencil on top. Dust with powdered sugar, then carefully remove stencil.
Did You Know?
By Galician law, a true Tarta de Santiago must contain at least 33% almonds and cannot contain flour — any cake with flour cannot bear the name.
Chef's Notes
Equipment Tips
- round cake tin
- mixing bowl
- whisk
- stencil
Garnishing
powdered sugar cross, lemon zest
Accompaniments
coffee, dessert wine
The Story Behind Tarta de Santiago
Tarta de Santiago has been baked for pilgrims arriving at Santiago de Compostela since the Middle Ages. The cake is stamped with the Cross of Saint James, and its recipe was codified in the early 20th century. In 2010, Galicia granted it a Protected Geographical Indication.
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