Step 1

Baseline a 24cm shallow springform cake tin with baking parchment and grease the sides. Preheat the oven to 180C/160F/Gas 4.         

Step 2

Tip the almonds into the bowl of your food processor and add 3 tablespoons of the sugar. Grind as finely as you can. Mix with the flour.       

Step 3

Whisk the egg yolks with the remaining sugar and the vanilla extract until thick and light and pale. Use an electric whisk if you don’t want your arms to wilt beyond use. Whisk in the liqueur. Wash your whisk well to remove all traces of egg yolk.   

Step 4

Now whisk the egg whites with the lemon juice and salt until they form soft peaks. Fold alternate scoops of the almonds and the egg whites into the egg yolks until all are nicely blended. Pour into the prepared cake tin. Scatter the chocolate, if using, over the batter.  Bake for around 30 minutes until golden brown. Test by plunging a skewer or cocktail stick into the center. When it comes out clean, the cake is done. Cool in the tin before unmolding.    

Step 5

If you want a tad more glamour, dust with icing sugar before serving.   

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