Scandinavian Almond Bread

½ cup butter

1 ¼ cups white sugar

1 egg

½ teaspoon baking powder

1 ½ teaspoons almond extract

⅔ cup heavy cream

1 ¼ cups all-purpose flour

Preheat an oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Line a loaf pan with wax paper, then spray with cooking spray.

Place the butter into a heavy saucepan, and melt over medium heat. Allow the butter to simmer until foam rises to the top of the butter, 5 to 10 minutes. Gently skim away the foam and discard; pour the golden, clear layer of butter through a fine mesh strainer into a bowl to remove remaining milk solids, avoiding pouring any milk solids left in the bottom of the pan. Allow the clarified butter to cool.

Beat sugar and egg with an electric mixer in a large bowl until light and fluffy. Beat in the baking powder and almond extract. Stir in the clarified butter. Pour in the flour alternately with the cream in 2 or 3 installments, mixing until just incorporated. Pour batter into prepared pan.

Bake in the preheated oven until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, 50 to 60 minutes. Cool in the pan for 15 minutes before removing to cool completely on a wire rack.