Recipes

Almond Chocolate Torte La torta di mandorle di Capri or la Caprese

Cuisine: Italian

Type: Dessert

Serves: 8 to 10

Source:	Giuliano Bugialli cooking class at Adventures in Cooking
Attributes:
Comments:	Good beyond words!
Serving Suggestions:

Ingredients:

6 oz. unblanched almonds (or purchase already blanched and skinned slivered almonds)
2 oz. shelled walnuts
8 oz. granulated sugar plus 1 heaping T
16 T (8 ounces) unsalted butter, room temperature
6 extra large eggs, separated
2 extra large eggs
8 oz. bittersweet chocolate
1 tsp. sweet orange extract or 2 drops if imported

Plus: unsalted butter and unbleached flour to butter and flour a double cake pan

To serve:
2 cups heavy cream
1 T granulated sugar plus 1/2 cup
1 tsp. confectioner's sugar
Grated peel of a large orange with thick skin

Instructions:

Skip this step is using already blanched almonds:
Blanch almonds for a few seconds in boiling water, remove the skins and dry them for 10 minutes in an oven preheated to 375F.

Finely grind the almonds and walnuts together with the 8 ounces of sugar in a blender of food processor to get the texture of a very fine flour.

Preheat the oven to 375F and butter and lightly flour bottom and sides of a 10-inch diameter double cake pan. Arrange a piece of parchment paper on the bottom of the pan.

Place the softened butter in the bowl of an electric mixer with the paddle. Start mixing, adding the egg yolks one at a time. Meanwhile melt the chocolate over a double boiler.

When all the egg yolks are incorporated, start adding t he nut flour a heaping tablespoon at a time. Blend thoroughly after each addition. Add orange extract and the cooled melted chocolate.

Add the whole eggs and keep mixing for 1 minute more. Transfer the thick batter to a large bowl.

Using a copper bowl and whisk or electric mixer, beat the egg whites together with a tablespoon of the sugar until stiff.

Gently fold egg whites into the batter, using a rubber spatula in a folding motion.

Pour contents of the bowl into the prepared pan and bake for 45 minutes. The top of the torte should be lightly crusty, the side completely detached and rather soft and moist to the touch. Remove from the oven and let the pan rest on a rack for 15 minutes before unmolding the torte onto a serving platter. Cover the platter with a metal bowl and let stand until completely cool before serving.

When ready, whip the cream together with the tablespoon of granulated sugar and the confectioner's sugar, using a chilled metal bowl and whisk or electric mixer.

Mix the 1/2 cup granulated sugar with the grated orange rind.

Slice the torte into wedges and serve with whipped cream. Top cream with the granulated sugar flavored with grated orange rind, using a fine sieve for sprinkling it over.

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