Rose Levy Beranbaum’s golden almond cake with coconut cream anglaise

Ingredients

• Serves 8-10
• For the coconut crème anglaise
• 2 cups (1/2 liter) canned, unsweetened coconut milk
• 1 vanilla bean pod, split lengthwise, (you only need half a pod for this recipe so use one half and wrapped the other in cling film and reserved for something else)
• 4 large egg yolks
• 1/3 cup sugar
• For the cake
• One 9-inch by 2-inch (23-cm by 5-cm) round cake pan, greased, bottom lined
• 2 large eggs, room temperature
• 2/3 cup (160 g) sour cream (or crème fraiche)
• 1 teaspoon almond extract
• ¼ teaspoon vanilla
• 1 2/3 cup (166 g) cake flour (or farine type 65)
• 1/3 cup (70 g) ground almonds
• 1 cup (200 g) sugar
• ½ teaspoon baking powder
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 12 tablespoons (170 g) soften, unsalted butter

Instructions

1. To make the crème anglaise:
2. Prepare a small strainer over a bowl.
3. Pour the coconut milk into a heavy bottomed, medium size pot. Scrape the seeds out of the halved vanilla pod and add to the coconut milk along with the scraped out pod. Heat the milk until it begins to steam, but do not boil. Remove from heat and allow to infuse for 20 minutes.
4. In a mixing bowl, whisk together the sugar and egg yolks until they lighten in color and thicken.
5. Slowly pour the warm infused milk over the egg yolk mixture, whisking constantly, then transfer the custard back to the pot. Switch to a wooden spoon and continue to stir as you warm the mixture over medium heat. Cook slowly until the custard thickens and leaves a well defined track when a finger is run down the back of the spoon.
6. Immediately remove from the heat and pour through the strainer into the bowl. To maximize the flavor, fish the vanilla pod out of the strainer and drop it back in the custard.
7. Allow the custard to cool, then cover with cling film and put in the fridge to chill for at least 2 hours or overnight.
8. The crème anglaise can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to three days. Before serving, whisk until smooth.
9. To make the cake:
10. Preheat oven to 350 ° F (180° C)
11. Combine the eggs, ¼ of the sour cream (or crème fraiche) ,the vanilla and almond extract in a bowl.
12. Separately, combine the dry ingredients and mix on low speed for 30 seconds to blend. Add the butter and remaining sour cream. Mix on low speed until the dry ingredients are moistened. Increase to medium speed and beat for 1½ minutes to aerate and develop the cake’s structure. Stop and scrape down the sides. Gradually add the egg mixture in 3 batches, beating for 20 seconds after each addition.
13. Scrape the batter into the prepared pan and smooth out with a spatula. Bake 35 to 45 minutes or until the cake springs back with pressed lightly or a toothpick comes out clean.
14. Let the cake cool in the pan on a rack for 10 minutes. Loosen the sides with a small metal spatula and unmold. Slice and eat while still warm or cool completely before wrapping airtight. Wrapped, the cake will keep for 2 days room temperature or 5 days in the fridge.