Torta Caprese (Chocolate Torte) Recipe
Rich, fudgy and naturally gluten-free, this Torta Caprese (Italian Chocolate Torte) will win you over in taste. This cake's beauty is in its simplicity, using good quality chocolate, ground almonds and Amaretto for depth of flavour, and texture.
Servings: 10 servings / 20cm (8 inch) cake
Calories: 287kcal
Ingredients
- 150 g dark chocolate 70% coarsely chopped
- 150 g unsalted butter room temperature
- 30 ml Amaretto almond liqueur
- 150 g almond meal ground almonds
- 10 g cocoa powder unsweetened
- ¼ teaspoon fine salt
- 4 large eggs
- 150 g granulated sugar
Instructions
- Prepare the pan and melt chocolate and butter. Grease and line with parchment paper, the base and sides of a 20 cm (8-inch) springform tin or cake pan with removable base. Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F).
- Make the chocolate mixture. Melt the chocolate and butter. Add the chocolate and butter into a heatproof bowl set over a saucepan of simmering water (this is called a bain-marie/double-boiler). Ensure the base doesn’t touch the water. Stirring occasionally, heat until the chocolate and butter have melted completely and combined. Remove from the heat. Add in amaretto and dry ingredients. Add into the melted chocolate the Amaretto, ground almonds, cocoa powder and salt and stir until fully incorporated. Set aside to cool whilst continuing on with the next step.
- Whip the eggs. Meanwhile, in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, add in the eggs and sugar and whip on medium to high speed until thick and pale, and the mixture forms a ribbon when the whisk is lifted. (Alternatively, use electric hand-held beaters.)
- Add the chocolate to the eggs. Pour in the chocolate mixture into the whipped eggs, and using a rubber spatula, fold the chocolate through until fully combined. Make sure to scrape the base of the bowl as you fold. Fold gently so as not to knock out the air whipped into the eggs.
- Pour the chocolate mixture into the pan and bake. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and level with an offset spatular. Bake for 25-30 minutes until a toothpick inserted into the centre comes out with a few crumbs still attached to it, the sides are set and the middle has a slight jiggle. Remove from the oven and set on a wire rack to cool for 20 minutes before releasing the cake from the tin. Leave to cool completely before transferring to a serving plate. Dust with cocoa powder to serve.
Notes
Step-by-Step Photos: My blog post includes helpful step-by-step photos to help guide you through making this recipe.
Whole almonds: If you can't find ground almonds then use blanched almonds instead. Place them into a food processor and pulse until finely ground but they retain some texture. Don't take it too far otherwise you'll have yourself almond butter!
To store: Let the torte cool completely and wrap well in plastic wrap. The torte can be stored at room temperature for up to 3 days or in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Leave the torte to come to room temperature before serving.
To freeze: This cake freezes really well. Allow it to cool completely and wrap in a piece of parchment paper then place in an airtight container. Freeze for up to 3 months. To thaw place overnight in the refrigerator. Leave the torte to come to room temperature before serving.
Alternatives: You can substitute the ground almonds with ground hazelnuts turning this into a Chocolate Hazelnut Torte instead. Leave out the Amaretto if preferred and replace it with 1 teaspoon vanilla extract.
TIP 1: Whip the eggs and sugar for long enough so that they turn pale and fluffy. It helps create a texture that is light and fudgy and not stodgy.
TIP 2: Fold the chocolate mixture carefully into the egg mixture. We don’t want to knock out all the air from the whisked eggs, so go gently when folding the chocolate through it.
TIP 3: Check the bake time. Every oven runs differently so start checking your torte around the 25-minute mark. You can add on time in five-minute increments from three. You definitely don't want to overbake it as you'll lose the signature fudgy texture.
TIP 4: Cracks on top. This is one hundred per cent normal. Don’t worry. The heat of the oven and the volume created by the whipped eggs causes the cake to puff up. When removed from the oven the cake will collapse a little as the hot air disappears, causing cracks to appear.
TIP 5: Dust with cocoa powder. This is one option. Alternatively, you can dust it with powdered icing sugar (confectioners’ sugar). Rather than the bitter notes that cocoa powder adds, the powdered icing sugar creates a lovely sweet layer on the top.
TIP 6: Bake it in a 23cm (9-inch) cake pan/springform pan? The cake will turn out thinner and so you'll need to reduce the bake time accordingly. Start checking it at 15-20 minutes and go from there.
TIP 7: Make the torte in advance. It tastes better the next day and the flavours mature and intensify. Check out my note below on how to store it if you do make it ahead of time.
Nutrition
Calories: 287kcal | Carbohydrates: 20g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 21g | Saturated Fat: 9g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 98mg | Sodium: 86mg | Potassium: 44mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 17g | Vitamin A: 470IU | Calcium: 46mg | Iron: 1mg