Torta Caprese
This is a foolproof recipe for an authentic torta caprese, a flourless chocolate cake made with ground almonds. It's rich, fudgy and so decadent. I like to serve with whipped cream, good olive oil and flakey salt.
Servings: 8 servings
Ingredients
- 225 g dark chocolate around 70%
- 250 g ground almonds
- 225 g unsalted butter at room temperature
- 135 g caster sugar
- 5 large eggs separated
- Pinch of salt
- Cocoa powder or icing sugar for dusting
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 160°Cfan / 180c conventional / 355f. Line and grease a 20–22 cm loose-bottomed cake tin with baking parchment.
- In a large bowl, beat the butter with half of the sugar (about 65 g) until light and fluffy. Add the egg yolks one at a time, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.
- Melt the chocolate (either gently in a heatproof bowl over simmering water or in short bursts in the microwave).
- Stir the melted chocolate and ground almonds into the butter mixture. The texture will look grainy - this is normal.
- In a clean bowl, whisk the egg whites with a pinch of salt until soft peaks form. Gradually sprinkle in the remaining sugar while whisking until firm peaks form (before stiff peaks), but avoid whisking to the point where the egg whites look dry.
- Stir about one-third of the egg whites into the chocolate mixture to loosen it.
- Gently fold in the remaining egg whites with a spatula, taking care not to knock out too much air. Fold until no streaks of white remain.
- Pour the mixture into the prepared tin and smooth the surface. Bake for 30–35 minutes until just set. A slightly under-baked torta caprese is far better than a dry one, so err on the side of caution.
- Leave the cake to cool completely in the tin. Invert onto a plate so the bottom becomes the top, giving a smooth, flat surface. Dust generously with cocoa powder (or icing sugar, if you prefer).
- The video below will help with this recipe.
Video
Notes
Scroll up for a step by step guide on how to make this torta caprese.
To store: Keep in an airtight container at room temperature for 2 days, or in the fridge for up to 5 days. For best texture, bring to room temperature before serving.
To freeze: Freeze whole (wrapped tightly) or cut slices between layers of baking parchment in an airtight container for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge then bring to room temperature. It freezes well!
Collapsing: It's normal for it to collapse a little, and it may form a few cracks on the surface as it cools. This is because the hot air escapes the cake and leaves little air gaps that lead to the slight collapse.
To tell when it's done, look for:
- A thin, lightly crackled crust on top.
- A slight jiggle in the centre.
- A skewer inserted near the edge should come out with moist crumbs (not completely dry).
Nutrition
Calories: 651kcal | Carbohydrates: 37g | Protein: 13g | Fat: 53g | Saturated Fat: 23g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 11g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 164mg | Sodium: 48mg | Potassium: 246mg | Fiber: 6g | Sugar: 25g | Vitamin A: 862IU | Calcium: 108mg | Iron: 5mg