Ground almonds give this moist, flavorful pudding a fine-grained texture.

Preheat the oven to 350°F.

Spread on a baking sheet:

Toast, stirring 2 or 3 times, until golden brown, 5 to 7 minutes. Let cool completely, then grind in a food processor until fine but not at all oily. Generously butter a 2-quart heatproof bowl or pudding basin. Sprinkle the inside of the bowl with 3 tablespoons of the ground almonds, tilting to coat. Heat in a heavy saucepan over medium-high heat:

Stir until the sugar is dissolved. Boil until the syrup begins to darken around the edges. Gently swirl the pan until the caramel turns deep amber. Remove from the heat and carefully stir in:

If necessary, heat briefly over low heat to melt the caramel, stirring until smooth. Transfer the caramel to a large bowl and let cool to lukewarm. Beat the remaining ground almonds into the caramel along with:

Beat in a large bowl on medium speed until foamy:

Add:

Beat until soft peaks form, then increase the speed to high and beat until the peaks are stiff but not dry. Using a large silicone spatula, stir one-quarter of the egg whites into the caramel mixture to lighten it, then gently but thoroughly fold in the rest. Turn the batter into the prepared mold and cover the top with an inverted plate or cake pan. (The uncooked pudding can be refrigerated for up to 4 hours before steaming.)

Set a rack or folded kitchen towel in the bottom of a pot large enough to hold the pudding comfortably. Set the pudding inside and pour enough boiling water into the pot to come halfway up the sides of the mold. Bring the water to a brisk simmer over medium-high heat and tightly cover the pot. Replenishing the water as needed, steam the pudding until a skewer inserted in the center comes out with only a few moist crumbs clinging to it, about 2 hours. Turn off the heat and let the pudding stand in the covered pot for 15 minutes. Invert the pudding onto a platter and serve with: