Title: Ravani, A Greek Sugar Syrup Soaked Almond Cake Categories: Desserts, Cakes, Greek Pastry Yield: 60 Servings This is a very simple recipe if you have a Kitchen Aid mixer and a food processor. It is almost impossible to screw up, but makes a dessert that draws raves. BTW, this is another of my Great Aunt's recipes. SYRUP: 3 c Sugar 2 1/2 c Water 2 tb Maraschino Cherry Juice (optional) CAKE/PASTRY: 1/2 lb Butter (or margerine) at room temperature 1 c Sugar 6 Eggs, Separated 1 tb Almond Extract 2 ts Baking Powder 1 c All Purpose Flour 1 c Farina 1 1/2 c Almonds, Blanched, Toasted, And Chopped Fine DECORATION: 30 Maraschino Cherries, Halved OTHER: 60 Metalized Paper Cupcake Cups DIRECTIONS: Mix the sugar, water, and cherry juice to form a syrup. Bring the syrup to the boil and then cool. Blanch, then toast the almonds (optional), then chop to fine chunks, about 1 millimeter in size, between 1/16 and 1/32 inch. Best done in a food processor. Separate the eggs, reserving the yolks, and beat the whites until they form peaks. Set aside to add later. Cream the butter and the 1 cup of sugar well and then beat in the reserved six egg yolks and almond extract. Mix the flour, farina, and baking powder and add these dry ingredients beating to form a batter. Then, add the chopped almonds and beat forming a stiff batter. By hand, fold in half the reserved beaten egg whites, lightening the batter, then fold in the rest of the egg whites. Pour the batter into a greased baking pan. I use a stainless steel roasting pan about the size of a jelly roll pan. Spread the batter out to a uniform thickness (about 1/2 inch thick). Bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for 45 minutes, it should be a light golden brown. The pastry will rise as it cooks and should be about 1 1/4 to 1 1/2 inches thick when finished. When you remove the pastry from the oven, immediately cut it into diamonds by cutting strips lengthwise and then cutting diaginally crosswise. I usually cut about six long bars and then when I cut it diagonally I get about 60 perfect pieces, with cook's treats on the ends and sides. You could get more if you cut the pieces smaller, say 7x12=84 or 7x13=91. If you do that, you'll need more cherries. :-) I make lengthwise trim cuts first about 1/4 inch in from the pan edges and then cut the remaining cake into diamonds. That way the pieces all look the same. After cutting pour the cooled syrup over the hot pastry, and press a maraschino cherry half (cut side down) on top of each diamond in the center, pressing it down firmly. Let the pastry cool before taking it up. I find that metalized cupcake cups are good to serve this with for a party, although pieces can be just put on a plate or tray. When you pour the syrup on the cake, it takes a little while for the syrup to soak in, and if you use a jelly roll pan, this could be a problem. This also seems to be better the second day. It also seems to freeze well, although it usually disappears before that becomes necessary. Chuck Demas