As you can see, potato flour is pure white in colour, very finely textured, it's like a cross between icing sugar and pure cornflour. For those with gluten intolerance, you'll be happy to know that this is gluten free.
Torta Margherita is one of the cakes my mother would reserve for special occasions. It is as light as a sponge but has a fascinating, almost chewy crust and great mouth-feel which I can only credit as a property of potato flour.
4 eggs
150 grams caster sugar
120 grams potato flour
finely grated rind of 1 lemon
The most important part in making Torta Margherita is ensuring that the eggs and sugar have been whipped correctly - you can't rush this and as my mother tells me, back in Italy without the benefit of electric mixers, this process would take a good 30-40 minutes to do by hand.
Place the eggs and sugar into the bowl of a stand mixer and beat until thick and creamy. Stop after about 5 minutes to add the grated lemon and then continue beating for another 5 minutes. In my Kitchen Aid bowl, this reached almost to the top of the bowl.
Double sift the potato flour and on a low speed sprinkle in the flour - once it has all been added, increase the heat and whip for 10-15 seconds to ensure the flour has been dispersed.
Pour the mixture into a buttered and lined cake tin - I used a 23cm spring-form pan but you could divide the mixture to make 2 x 18cm cakes.
Bake in a preheated 160°C/320°F oven until golden and cooked through. Much like a souffle this will rise will cooking.
Cool slightly before removing it from the pan and then dust with icing sugar.
This is a very simple version - split it and fill it with crema pasticcera for a more decadent option.
That looks FABULOUS!
Potato flour in cake? thats new to me, looks so perfectly baked!
That's real joy!
Reminds me when I was a child, having tea with my grannie, she was the best T. Margherita's baker for me!
My modifications to the recipe:
I put my regular white sugar in the blender for about 15 seconds to make it easier absorbed by the eggs since I couldn't get the kind of sugar called for. I used only half the amount of potato flour needed and used bakery flour for the rest (with yeist in it) and a half packet of yeist because I didn't have time to bea the eggs and sugur suffieciently. I added peaches on top. The baking time was only 20 minutes! It turned out marvellously! Four of us ate the WHOLE cake for dessert. A total hit!
that potato flour is so interesting. this cake is totally new to me.
Hard to imagine beating the sugar by hand for 4o minutes... But it looks like it would be worth it!
I'm intrigued by the flour.
You have to beat it 30-40 minutes by hand. Oh, my!
wow....interesting for sure....I also am new to this cake
Thanks Jenny!
Thanks Parita - there are quite a few traditional Italian cakes that use potato flour
Thanks Cindy - I bet the torta was magnificient!
Sounds lovely Dominique
Thanks MM!
Indeed Kate - the texture is really quite lovely
Thanks Paz - we're so lucky to have our electric beaters
Thanks Trish!