23 January 2019
Recipe from Cook's Illustrated, November 2018
A few years ago I made chocolate financiers, a small cake/cookie that uses almond flour instead of wheat flour. This produced a lighter, more delicate cookie that still packed some chocolate punch. The recipe for Italian Chocolate-Almond Cake, also known as torta caprese, does the same thing. But does it produce a flourless chocolate cake that is worth baking?
Butter and bittersweet chocolate were combined and melted in a microwave oven then some vanilla extract was stirred into the mixture. Egg whites, combined with sugar, were whipped to stiff peaks and transferred to a large bowl. Egg yolks, combined with sugar, were whipped until thick and pale yellow. The chocolate mixture was added and mixed followed by almond flour, cocoa powder, and salt. One third of the whipped egg whites were added to the bowl and mixed. The chocolate batter was folded into the remaining whites then baked in a springform pan for about 50 minutes. From the start of prep to taking the finished cake out of the oven was 105 minutes.
This cake did live up to its promise. Like the financiers, it was a lighter version of a flourless chocolate cake. It was moist and tender without being fudgy, it still had plenty of chocolate flavor, and it kept well. This is a cake to seriously consider when looking to make a chocolate dessert.
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