Sun-Sentinel.com, FL
April 14 2005

Farina Gargantag (Armenian Almond and Farina Cake)

This moist almond cake, enriched and flavored with a lemony sugar
syrup, is an Armenian specialty. The recipe comes from the Armenian
enclave of Watertown, Mass. Try adding 1/2 teaspoon rose water to

Cake Batter:

5 large eggs
1 cup sugar
1/2 pound (2 sticks) unsalted butter, melted
1 cup (about 4 ounces) coarse-chopped blanched or natural almonds
Grated zest of 1 medium lemon
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 cups farina or cream of wheat
1 tablespoon baking powder

Lemon Syrup:

1 cup water
2 cups sugar
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice, strained
24 whole blanched almonds, for garnish

To make batter: Butter a 9-by-13-by-2-inch pan and line bottom with a
rectangle of buttered parchment or waxed paper.

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment,
whip eggs and sugar on medium-high speed 3 or 4 minutes until light.

Remove bowl from mixer and fold in melted butter, almonds, lemon
zest, vanilla and cinnamon, one at a time. Stir in farina or ceam of
wheat mixed with baking powder.

Scrape batter into prepared pan and smooth top. Bake on middle rack
of preheated 350-degree oven about 45 minutes, or until cake is firm
to touch and a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool
cake in pan on a rack.

To make syrup: Bring 1 cup water and sugar to a boil in a nonreactive
medium saucepan, stirring occasionally to make sure sugar dissolves.
Remove pan from heat and allow syrup to cool to lukewarm. Stir in
lemon juice.

To finish, cut cooled cake into strips, then across diagonally into
diamonds. Pour warm syrup over cake and allow to cool completely.

Top each piece of cake with an almond. To serve, use a narrow offset
spatula or cake server to remove pieces of cake from pan. Drizzle any
syrup left in pan on pieces of cake when you serve them. Store cake
in pan, covered with plastic wrap at room temperature. Makes about 24
small servings.

Per serving: 265 calories, 38 percent calories from fat, 11 grams
total fat, 64 milligrams cholesterol, 5 grams saturated fat, 4 grams
protein, 38 grams carbohydrates, .92 gram total fiber, 63 milligrams
sodium, 25 grams total sugars.