Chocolate Almond Torte Torta Caprese Food

TORTA CAPRESE - THE BEST CHOCOLATE ALMOND CAKE EVER

Steps:

• Melt chocolate using a double-boiler or bain-marie method. Place a heat resistant glass bowl or a metal bowl with chocolate broken into small pieces over a pan (pot) with a boiling water in a way that the bottom of the top bowl with chocolate doesn't touch the water in the bottom pan.
• Water should continue to boil on a low heat. Occasionally stir the melting chocolate. When chocolate is completely melted - set aside.
• If you are using whole almonds, blanch almonds for 60 seconds first boiling than in cold water. Peel off the skin, quickly dry in the oven. Process in a food processor into fine grind flour.
• Ready-to-use almond flour definitely saves you some time and you can find it without a hustle at a grocery store or order online.
• NOTE: If you are using a store-bought almond flour make sure you read the ingredients. Very important. Occasionally you can come across and almond flour mix that usually has 50% almond flour 50% powdered sugar. And you can still use it for this recipe if you not need any additional powdered sugar in this case, except for 2 tbsp to beat the egg whites.
• Separate egg yolks from the egg whites. Make sure there are not egg yolk bits in the egg whites! This is the reason why I recommend separating one egg at a time over a spare bowl, so that even if one egg yolk gets broken it doesn't damage the rest of the egg whites in the bowl.
• Beat egg yolks with half of the powdered sugar until fluffy. At this stage add rum or Grand Marnier if you have it.
• In the meantime your melted chocolate has cooled down a bit and it's a perfect time to add softened butter, grated orange zest and dark (bitter) cocoa powder. Mix everything well.
• Fold in the egg yolk mix into the chocolate mix. Stir in the almond flour.
• Beat the eggs whites with remaining powdered sugar until soft peaks form (about 5 minutes starting low and slowly increasing the speed).
• If you are using a standing mixer it's a perfect time to grease your cake mold and preheat the oven to 350F.
• To prevent our cake from sticking deadly to the mold we are first greasing it with butter, then covering with some flour. Just regular all purpose flour. BUT if you are making this for someone with gluten intolerance make sure you use corn flour or other gluten-free flour instead.
• I like to use a springform baking pan but any pan with removable bottom will do.
• Now that your egg whites have a perfect soft peak consistency start gently folding them into the chocolate almond dough. One or two scoops at a time. This is very important. If you throw in all eggs white at the same time or mix to intensely they will loose their fluffy and soft consistency and make your cake.
• Carefully pour in our chocolate almond cake into prearranged pan. With a spatula level all the bumps on the surface of the cake until smooth top. Bake in the preheated oven for 30-35 minutes.
• At a 30-minute mark do a toothpick test.
• Stick in a toothpick in the middle of the cake if it comes out dry or with a few breadcrumbs - the cake is ready. And it's important to not overcook this cake so that it retains its wonderful moist texture on the inside and crusty top on the outside.
• Let the cake cool for 20-30 minutes still in the baking pan before removing it. If removed too fast there is a risk to break it.
• Dust the top with confectioners/ powdered sugar or cocoa powder.

CHOCOLATE-ALMOND TORTE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Toast the almonds on a baking sheet until lightly golden, 6 to 7 minutes. Cool slightly, then pulse in a food processor until finely ground, but not pasty.
• Melt 12 tablespoons butter and the chocolate in a heatproof bowl set over a saucepan of simmering water (do not let the bowl touch the water). Stir until the chocolate is smooth, then remove from the heat and cool slightly. Grease the bottom and sides of a 9-inch springform pan with butter and coat with the breadcrumbs, tapping out the excess.
• Set aside 2 tablespoons granulated sugar. Combine the 6 egg yolks and the remaining sugar in a stand mixer and beat with the paddle attachment on medium-high until thick and pale, about 3 minutes. Add the orange zest, rum and salt, then beat in the melted chocolate until smooth. Mix in the ground almonds until just combined.
• In a clean bowl, beat the 3 egg whites with a mixer until foamy. Gradually beat in the reserved 2 tablespoons granulated sugar on high speed until almost stiff. Stir one-third of the whites into the chocolate batter, then gently fold in the rest. Spread the batter in the prepared pan and bake until the top is firm and cracked (a toothpick inserted into the cake will be fudgy), 35 to 40 minutes. Cool on a rack 10 minutes, then run a knife around the edge of the pan and remove the ring. Serve warm or at room temperature. Garnish with confectioners' sugar and whipped cream, if desired.

TORTA CAPRESE

Steps:

• Place the chocolate and butter in the top of a double boiler and melt until smooth. Cool slightly, until just warm to the touch.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter the inside of a 9-inch springform pan.
• Place the egg whites in a medium bowl with the salt. Place the yolks in a slightly larger bowl with the granulated sugar. Using a handheld mixer, beat the whites on medium speed until stiff peaks form, about 2 minutes. Then beat the egg yolks on medium speed until light, pale and fluffy, about 1 1/2 minutes. Using a rubber spatula, stir the chocolate mixture, almond flour and vanilla into the yolks. In 2 batches, fold the whipped whites into the chocolate base. Pour the mixture into the prepared pan and bake until puffed and beginning to crack on top, about 40 minutes. Cool completely on a wire rack.
• When cool, run a thin knife around the edge of the pan to release the cake. Remove the outside ring and dust the top with confectioners' sugar.

CHOCOLATE ALMOND TORTE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter 10-inch-diameter springform pan with 2 3/4-inch-high sides. Combine almonds and 1/3 cup sugar in processor. Blend until almonds are very finely ground. Transfer almond mixture to medium bowl; do not clean processor. Add chocolate and 1/3 cup sugar to processor. Blend until chocolate is finely ground but not beginning to clump, about 45 seconds; stir into almond mixture. Using electric mixer, beat egg yolks and remaining 1/3 cup sugar in large bowl until mixture falls in heavy ribbon when beaters are lifted, about 5 minutes. Beat in almond extract and lemon peel. Fold in chocolate-almond mixture, then butter.
• Using clean dry beaters, beat egg whites and salt in another large bowl until stiff but not dry. Fold whites into chocolate batter in three additions. Transfer batter to prepared pan.
• Bake cake until tester inserted into center comes out with moist crumbs attached, about 40 minutes. Cool cake completely in pan on rack. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover; store at room temperature.) Cut around pan sides to loosen; release sides. Sift powdered sugar over cake.

CHOCOLATE ALMOND TORTE (TORTA CAPRESE)

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350° F. and butter a 10-inch cake pan. Line bottom of pan with a round of wax paper and butter paper.
• Melt butter and cool. In a food processor finely grind together almonds and chocolate. Separate eggs.
• In a bowl with an electric mixer beat yolks with granulated sugar until very thick and pale and beat in almond mixture and butter.
• In another bowl with cleaned beaters beat whites with a pinch salt until they just hold stiff peaks and whisk one fourth into almond mixture. Fold in remaining whites gently but thoroughly and spread batter evenly in pan.
• Bake torte in middle of oven 50 minutes, or until it begins to pull away from side of pan and a tester comes out with moist crumbs adhering. Cool torte on a rack 5 minutes and invert onto another rack. Discard wax paper and cool torte completely. Invert torte onto a plate. Torte may be made 1 day ahead and kept, wrapped well in plastic wrap, at room temperature.
• Dust torte with confectioners' sugar and serve with whipped cream.

INSTANT POT® TORTA CAPRESE (ITALIAN FLOURLESS CHOCOLATE-ALMOND CAKE)

Steps:

• Pour 2 cups water inside a 7-quart multi-functional pressure cooker (such as Instant Pot®) and insert a trivet. Generously butter an 8-inch round cake pan.
• Combine chocolate and butter in a large microwave-safe bowl. Microwave on 800 watts for 2 minutes. Whisk and microwave for another 2 minutes. Continue whisking and cooking until chocolate and butter are completely melted. Add sugar and vigorously whisk until combined. Mix in almond flour until combined. Add egg yolks and stir until incorporated.
• Beat egg whites in the bowl of a stand mixer until soft peaks form. Fold into the chocolate mixture. Pour batter into the prepared cake pan and cover with aluminum foil. Set the pan on top of the trivet in the cooker.
• Close and lock the lid. Select high pressure according to manufacturer's instructions; set timer for 30 minutes. Allow 10 to 15 minutes for pressure to build.
• Release pressure using the natural-release method according to manufacturer's instructions, about 15 minutes. Open the lid and allow the cake to cool. Remove the cake pan with tongs and let cool on a wire rack for 15 minutes. Remove cake from the pan by placing a plate on top and flipping it over. Flip it again using another plate to set it right-side up.
• Dust with powdered sugar and cocoa powder and serve.