Passover Walnut Torte

Even if you came here looking for Passover cakes, this is one I'm definitely going to bake all year round. A soft, rich walnut torte that's hard to believe has no flour in it: full of walnuts, tender and very easy to make, and your guests won't believe it's kosher for Passover.

Ingredients for a 9½-inch (24 cm) round pan

• 6 large eggs at room temperature, separated.
• 180 g raw walnuts, finely ground (1¾ cups).
• 50 g potato starch (5 tablespoons).
• 5 g baking powder (1 teaspoon).
• 150 g sugar (½ cup + 5 tablespoons), for the yolks.
• 50 g sugar (¼ cup minus 1 tablespoon), for the whites.

Instructions

1. In a wide bowl, whisk the yolks and sugar (150 g, ½ cup + 5 tablespoons) well until combined.
2. Mix the potato starch and baking powder together, pour them into the yolk mixture and whisk well.
3. Add the ground walnuts to the batter and whisk briefly until absorbed (grind the walnuts in short pulses, so they don't release their oil and turn into a paste).
4. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk, whip the egg whites and sugar (50 g, ¼ cup minus 1 tablespoon) for about 5 minutes, until you have a stable foam that isn't too stiff.
5. Fold the whipped whites into the batter in a few additions (be careful not to overmix).
6. Line the bottom of the pan with parchment paper, and grease both the sides and the bottom with a little oil.
7. Pour in the batter and bake in an oven preheated to 340°F (170°C) for about 40-50 minutes (start with 40 minutes and add more time if needed).
8. Let cool completely, then dig in.

Good to know

• The cake sinks a little after baking, because it has very little potato starch in it.
• There's no oil in the recipe, and it isn't a mistake 🙂
• You can bake the cake in loaf pans, but keep in mind that the baking time will be shorter.