Gâteau aux Amandes

Yes, fine almond flour works well here, since it is simply ground blanched almonds milled more finely. The crumb will be a little smoother and less rustic than with coarser ground almonds. Weigh it at 100 g rather than measuring by cup, as fine flour packs differently and can throw off the batter's balance.

The recipe is written for a 19 cm (7.5 inch) pan, so a larger tin will spread the same batter thinner and bake faster. Start checking with a toothpick around 25 minutes instead of 35, and expect a flatter cake with a higher proportion of crust. If you want the original height, it is better to scale the ingredients up than to stretch this quantity.

The two usual causes are under-creaming the butter and sugar, and overmixing after the dry ingredients go in. Cream until the mixture is genuinely light and fluffy, since that trapped air does much of the lifting alongside the baking powder. Then fold the almond-flour mixture in only until it just comes together, as extra stirring knocks the air back out.

You can line and grease the springform pan and combine the ground almonds, flour, baking powder, and salt hours in advance. The batter itself is better baked right away, because the baking powder begins working as soon as it meets the wet ingredients. Take the eggs and butter out early instead, as the recipe calls for room-temperature eggs and soft butter, which both cream in far more smoothly.

Keep it in an airtight container at room temperature, where the ground almonds help it stay wonderfully moist for 2-3 days. Dust with powdered sugar just before serving rather than in advance, since it will slowly dissolve into the surface of the cake. If you have topped it with flaked almonds, avoid the fridge, as the damp air softens their crunch.