Três Delícias do Algarve

A specialty from the Algarve.

Ingredients

For the base:

• 250g dried figs
• 1/2 roll of Maria biscuits
• 1 handful of almonds
• 2 tbsp butter (melted)
• Almond paste (optional)

For the fill:

• 100g sugar
• 3 eggs
• 75g unsalted butter
• 125g white chocolate
• 50g carob powder
• 25g flour

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 180 degrees.

For the base:

1. Cut the figs in four, and throw away the hard piece at the bottom.
2. Put them together with the almonds and cookies in the food processor, and chop finely until you have a thick paste.
3. Add the melted butter, and knead it with your hands.
4. Grease a cake pan and press the dough into the pan, making sure that it is (approximately) the same everywhere.

For the fill

1. Start by separating the eggs.
2. Beat the egg yolks with the sugar.
3. Meanwhile, melt the butter, and the white chocolate au bain marie.
4. Allow the mixture to cool slightly (so that your egg does not solidify), and stir in the egg yolk.
5. Mix the carob with the flour. Add this little by little to the chocolate mixture, and keep stirring well.
6. Beat the egg whites until stiff, and finally fold it through the filling.
7. Pour the filling on the bottom, and smooth out.
8. Bake for 10 minutes at 180 degrees Celsius.
9. You can optionally garnish the cake with a thin layer of almond paste (not the same thing as marzipan).

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