Torta Caprese
Torta Caprese
Capri's Flourless Almond Cake
Like insalata caprese (see page 167), this cake’s name tells you just where it’s from: Capri (pronounced CAH-pree, not ca-PREE). This was a favorite of my maternal grandmother, who was diagnosed with celiac disease in the late 1970s when relatively few gluten-free dessert options existed for her at Italian American pastry shops. She never did get to Capri to taste the real thing, but it’s such a simple, straightforward cake that it’s easy to faithfully reproduce anywhere. In my experience, the only thing a torta caprese served in the Bay of Naples has over one you make at home is that it’s decorated with confectioners’ sugar applied with a stencil sold locally featuring the faraglioni, rock formations off the coast of the island, and the word Caprese.
Ingredients (6)
Ingredients (6)
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 340°F. Butter a 9-inch springform pan.
Melt the chocolate in a double boiler over low heat; keep warm.
Cream together the butter and granulated sugar in a large bowl, then add the egg yolks and blend until combined.
Stir in the almond meal, followed by the warm melted chocolate.
Meanwhile, whip the egg whites to stiff peaks in a medium bowl.
Fold a third of the whipped egg whites into the chocolate mixture.
Add the remaining egg whites, folding gently from the bottom until fully incorporated. Pour the batter into the prepared pan.
Bake until cooked through and a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean, 40 to 45 minutes.
Allow the cake to cool in the pan before unmolding, about 30 minutes.
Dust with confectioners’ sugar before serving. The cake will keep in a sealed container at room temperature for up to 4 days.
This recipe is part of the Food of the Italian Islands digital cookbook, and is only available once you've purchased the cookbook.
Purchase ($25.00)
