Need help finding ingredient or substitute for Greek Almond Cake
Sun, 04/04/2010 - 18:34
Hi!
I finally got my hands on the recipe for the most outstanding Greek Almond Cake. I'd heard about how great it was for years but it wasn't until I finally had the opportunity to try it that I realized that it truly was amazing.
It calls for 1 1/2 cups of crushed "Haust Original Dutch Crispy Cakes" instead of flour and I cannot find them anywhere. Has anyone heard of them? Or can anyone suggest a good alternative?
The cake has a great texture with ground almonds; a creamy syrup that saturates the layers and whipped cream filling. I am really anxious to try this out I but can't find this all-important ingredient. Any suggestions?
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Heather
Do you mean Revani? (Semolina cake) It's a semolina sponge with ground almonds in it, then drenched in an orange syrup. It's normally done in a square or rectangle dish and then simply cut into squares or diamonds. http://www.greekhomerecipes.com/revani.html
If it is that cake, the ingredient you'd be looking for is semolina.
I'm really curious about the recipe you have, would you mind sending it to me? I'm not familiar with an almond cake that is made with layers and has whipped cream in it or uses a creamy syrup to soak the sponge, so just wondering if maybe that's a modern addition or something that the person who wrote the recipe decided to do to make it a more cake-like-cake.
I saw a subliminal advertising executive the other day, but only for a second... .
What The Fruitcake?!
Hi, thanks for responding! No, it's not semolina. The recipe is from a Greek cook book that was translated to English. There is no flour at all, not even semolina. Sigh. Very frustrated, when I tasted this cake it was truly the best cake I've ever eaten. It took months to get the baker to finally translate it for me and now she is unavailable for questions. I will post the recipe on your personal page as soon as I get my blog ready for tomorrow's deadline. (Talk about leaving this to the last minute!)
Anyway, thanks for trying to help, much appreciated. I'll check out your link - maybe I'll find something relatively close.
Heather
Hi Heather,
I've sent you an e-mail about the recipe, I hope it helps.
I'm pretty sure that no Greek recipe would contain an ingredient like a Dutch Haust crispy cake, so it sounds to me that somewhere along the journey of your particular recipe that the semolina has been replaced by an ingredient that was easier for the person to get.
Your version is very close to the one I've sent you, but just not traditionally accurate, I think it's been made to suit the taste of the recipe writer.
Anyway, have a look at the e-mail I've sent you, I hope it helps.
I saw a subliminal advertising executive the other day, but only for a second... .
What The Fruitcake?!
Hi Mandy,
Thanks for the email. I did check out the link and the recipe looks very similar. I think you are right, the recipe I have must be a less traditional version. I am going to try it out. I just need to wait for the right "opportunity". : ) I appreciate your help - will let you know how it turns out.
Heather