Mallorcan Gató
Here you have this traditional delight, the recipe for Mallorcan almond gató.
It’s called gató, like gâteau, cake in French. It only contains eggs, sugar, and almonds, and the aromas each person chooses: lemon zest, cinnamon, vanilla, orange blossom water… we made it with a very good vanilla that was brought to us from Yucatán and it’s addictive.
We know few desserts, almond sponges, or gluten-free cakes that yield better results with such a simple mixture, and it also works for coeliacs.
We used a non-stick borosilicate mold that we only make at Vitrinor, but a round metal one with baking paper would also work.
Time and Difficulty
Servings: 6 people willing to share
Preparation time: 30 minutes + 30 minutes baking
Difficulty: Easy, first-year pastry making
Utensils: Round non-stick borosilicate mold
You need:
- 200 g ground almonds
- 200 g sugar
- 5 or 6 eggs, depending on size
- A pinch of salt
- Vanilla (or lemon, cinnamon, or orange blossom)
How to make Mallorcan gató
Start by separating the egg whites from the yolks, making sure they are well separated. Add a little salt to the whites to help them whip. Beat them with an electric mixer (or whisk vigorously by hand) until they form stiff peaks, and set aside for a few minutes.
Next, mix the yolks with the sugar, and again, use the mixer until they turn pale. Add the vanilla or whatever you’ve chosen for flavoring, and then the almonds. Mix very well. We find that store-bought ground almonds have a better texture than when we grind them at home.
At this point, the mixture has a very firm consistency, but now we combine everything: gradually add the stiff egg whites in three or four batches, folding very gently, so as not to lose the air we’ve incorporated. The goal is to obtain a batter that falls smoothly into the mold and is well integrated, without almond lumps.
And it’s almost done: pour the batter into the mold, scraping it well (to turn it out or to eat it, it’s irresistible) and bake in the oven at about 170-180ºC for 25 or 30 minutes, just enough for a toothpick inserted to come out clean.
Done, you now have a Mallorcan almond gató, a traditional gluten-free dessert that guests will fight over. Serve it with your favorite creamy ice cream.
