Pecan Torte With Strawberries and Cream

Ingredients

• 1 1/4 cups pecans (6 1/4 oz)
• 3 1/2 tablespoons matzo cake meal
• 1 cup sugar
• 3 tablespoons sugar
• 7 large eggs, separated, at room temperature
• 2 teaspoons finely grated fresh lemon zest
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/2 cups chilled heavy cream (optional)
• 3/4 pint strawberry, sliced lengthwise (2 cups)

Directions

1. 1

   Preheat oven to 350°F

2. 2

   Pulse pecans, cake meal, and 3 tablespoons sugar in a food processor until nuts are very finely chopped.

3. 3

   Beat yolks and 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar in a large bowl with an electric mixer on high speed until pale and very thick. Stir in lemon zest and juice.

4. 4

   Beat whites with salt in another bowl with cleaned beaters on high speed until soft peaks form. Gradually beat in 5 tablespoons sugar and beat until whites just hold stiff, glossy peaks.

5. 5

   In 3 batches, alternately fold nut mixture and whites into yolk mixture. Spoon batter into ungreased pan and smooth top.

6. 6

   Bake cake in middle of oven until golden and a tester comes out clean, about 1 hour. Cool in pan, upside-down, 2 hours. (If pan has "legs," stand it on those. Otherwise, invert pan over neck of a bottle.)

7. 7

   Turn pan right side up, then run a long thin knife around outer edge of cake with a smooth (not sawing) motion. Loosen center in same manner. Remove outer rim of pan and run knife under bottom of cake to release. Invert cake onto a cake plate.

8. 8

   Beat cream with remaining tablespoon sugar until it just holds stiff peaks. Spread evenly over top and sides of cake and arrange strawberries on top. Serve chilled.