Tarta de Santiago (Spanish Almond Cake) | Recipe Drop | Food52

Check out Food52's new series Recipe Drop, where one of our Test Kitchen experts walks us through a brand-new recipe they developed just for Food52. Tune in for exclusive original recipes, from buttery pastries to showstopping roasts.
Tarta de Santiago (Spanish Almond Cake):
"Tarta de Santiago is a strikingly beautiful yet simple almond cake that originated in medieval Galicia, Spain. Named after St. James, the patron saint of Spain, it is traditionally adorned with his cross. Although it’s typically made entirely from almond flour, I took some creative liberties by mixing in equal parts hazelnut flour-don’t tell the Spanish. My first encounter with this dessert was in San Juan, Puerto Rico, where many local bakeries uphold Spanish baking traditions. Typically, the cooled cake is dusted with powdered sugar over a stencil of a St James cross. Once you remove the stencil, it reveals the cross shape (you can download an image to use as a stencil like this one). This is not a necessary step, though, and the cake is otherwise straightforward to make, requiring no special equipment other than a tart pan, which imparts beautiful ridged edges."
-César Pérez
GET THE RECIPE:
Tarta de Santiago (Spanish Almond Cake): food52.com/recipes/90102-tart...
PRODUCTS FEATURED IN THIS VIDEO:
Microplane Zester & Spice Grater, Set of 2: food52.com/shop/products/6195...
Five Two Kitchen Utensil Collection: food52.com/shop/products/1106...
Thomas Fuchs 1/2 & 1/2 Melamine Dinnerware: food52.com/shop/products/1152...
MORE FROM FOOD52:
Subscribe here to our KZbin Channel! f52.co/2HN7Dp8
GET MORE OF FOOD52 BY CONNECTING BELOW:
Website: food52.com
Our Shop: food52.com/shop
Facebook: / food52
Instagram: / food52
Pinterest: / food52
Twitter: / food52
TikTok: / food52
Food52 newsletter: f52.co/newsletter

[@zedudli]

Pastry chef tip: whenever using almond flour, toasting it in a pan before using it will boost the almond flavor 10x. Just toast it in a pan over medium high heat until fragrant for maximum success

[@cesar.ramon.perez.medero]

Great tip! Thank you!

[@zedudli]

@@cesar.ramon.perez.mederothank you for this recipe man. I’ve made it today with 130g of almond flour (it was all I had) and some crushed peanut butter bars I made two days ago. I’ve also added 10cl of Amaretto di Saronno, it goes very well with Almond stuff. It came out delicious 👍🏻 thanks again

[@melaniefisher8823]

I would have NEVER thought to toast almond flour, thank you for that tip!!!

[@zedudli]

@@melaniefisher8823 you’re welcome! 🙌🏻

[@brucetidwell7715]

Wow! Thanks for mentioning that.

[@anelecky]

I'm Spanish and love the hazelnut idea. Plus, you kept the cross design so I'd give you full marks!

[@cesar.ramon.perez.medero]

¡Gracias! ☺️

[@lyta1138]

Haven’t had this cake in years. A friend used to bring it back from Santiago di Compastela every year. It’s delicious.

[@TracyD2]

Authenticity police lol. We love them. I also love almond cake (and hazelnut) especially with orange.

[@EvanTreempire]

Made this tonight, and (unsurprisingly) it's fantastic! Served it with a simple raspberry sauce, which I thought perfectly balanced the earthiness of the hazelnut flour. Oh, a side note: the video says 1/2 cup hazelnut and 1/2 cup almond flour, but the written recipe says 1 cup each. I followed the written recipe, the batter looked like what’s in the video, and as far as I’m concerned it came out perfect.

[@candaces.7547]

This looks beautiful!

[@whimsicalhamster88]

I'm gonna be in Spain soon and now I totally want to try this cake!

[@cesar.ramon.perez.medero]

Tell them a Puerto Rican from Brooklyn sent you 😂

[@anairenemartinez165]

I have been to Spain lots, even lived in Madrid over a year long time ago, even visited Santiago de Compostela but NEVER ever heard of this until recently!

[@PKSullivan]

I've got nut allergies so I use equal thirds chickpea flour, coconut flour, and flax flour. Still gluten free, still has some nutty flavor, and gets me close enough to the Tarta de Santiago I miss.

[@cesar.ramon.perez.medero]

Brilliant!

[@sabrinas.3564]

Comment nicely 😂 ❤I had this cake in Spain and loved it!!! Thanks for an easy recipe!

[@cesar.ramon.perez.medero]

🤗

[@kaminidandapani9047]

Cesar Perez is great - what a wonderful personality! The cake looks yummy. Just one question - is it eggy?

[@cesar.ramon.perez.medero]

Thank you! And no, not eggy at all!

[@kaminidandapani9047]

@@cesar.ramon.perez.medero Thanks!

[@moduqueRN]

Looks great! Planning to make this soon! 😊

[@artemiciat566]

This seems tasty and easy !

[@melaniefisher8823]

I am SO MAKING THIS!!!

[@wwcohwwg]

"don't tell the Spanish" 😆

[@cesar.ramon.perez.medero]

🤫

[@noellenn2122]

So… it’s basically like… a frangipane…?

[@cesar.ramon.perez.medero]

Definitely related!

[@anairenemartinez165]

I had it a couple of days ago. Nothing to write home about: the particular one I had. Almonds are good, the Spaniard turron are almond based. I need to find a better sample.

[@cesar.ramon.perez.medero]

Everything can’t be for everyone.

[@anairenemartinez165]

Add whatever...ddon't tell the Spanish. Not a good start.

[@cesar.ramon.perez.medero]

Yo hago lo que me da la gana. Don’t tell the Spanish.