Ingredients (Serves 8)

• 300g/11oz whole almonds, shelled but with skin on
• 4 medium eggs, separated
• 250g/9oz caster sugar
• Grated zest of 1 Seville orange
• 1 tbsp Seville orange juice
• 1 tbsp ground cinnamon
• Icing sugar to dust
• Lightly whipped cream or natural yoghurt to serve

For the syrup

• Juice and thinly sliced zest of 1 Seville orange
• 25g/1oz caster sugar
• 2 cardamom pods, crushed
• 1 tbsp cold water

Preheat the oven to 160°C, 300°F, Gas 2.

Grease a 20cm/8in diameter, loose-bottomed tin and line the base with baking parchment.

Place the almonds in a food processor and whizz until finely ground. Place the egg yolks, sugar, orange zest and juice in a mixing bowl and whisk until the mixture becomes thick, creamy and pale. Mix in the almonds and ground cinnamon.

Place the egg whites in the clean, dry mixerbowl of a food processor and whisk until they form stiff peaks. Using a metal tablespoon, lightly fold 2 tbsp of the egg white into the almond mixture to loosen it slightly, and then gently fold in the remaining egg white until the mixture is thoroughly combined. Pour into the prepared tin and bake for 45 minutes, or until a skewer inserted in the middle comes out clean.

Leave to cool in the tin.

While the torte is cooling, make the syrup.

Reserve a few strips of orange zest. Place the rest with the orange juice, sugar, cardamom and cold water into a small saucepan. Heat gently until the sugar has dissolved.

Spoon the warm syrup over the top of the torte and, just before serving, dust lightly with icing sugar, then cut into slices and serve with a dollop of lightly whipped cream or natural yoghurt, decorated with the remaining strips of reserved orange zest.