Italian Chocolate-Almond Torte

I try to keep everything pretty balanced here on my blog. I don’t like to post too many sweet recipes in a row, or too many savory recipes. I like to make sure I mix it up a bit. So sometimes, some of my favorites get pushed out of line, having to wait to be posted about. I cannot believe I haven’t posted about this cake yet. It has been sitting on my computer, begging to be posted about for the last month, and somehow, it’s taken me this long to get to it. But I couldn’t wait one day longer, because this cake is just that good.

This past Easter, I wanted to have a quiet holiday, with just my husband and I. As much as I love spending time with both of our families, the previous few weeks had been crazy and hectic, and all I wanted was a quiet weekend at home with no stress and nowhere to go. I had never prepared a full Easter dinner myself before, and I was afraid it was going to take away from the stress-free weekend, but it was actually one of the easiest meals I have made. (I’ll have to write about the ham recipe I used sometime, because it was one of the best hams I’ve had!) For dessert, I wanted something that was not fussy, something that could be done ahead of time, and something a little different from the normal desserts we usually have. I went through one of my cookbooks that I’m ashamed to say I hadn’t used up to that point – Pure Dessert by Alice Medrich. This cookbook especially appealed to me for this particular meal because it focuses on the simple flavors of different ingredients. I was craving something chocolate, so I decided to go with this Italian Chocolate-Almond Torte.

If you are looking for simplicity and sophistication, this cake is perfect for both. It only has 6 ingredients in the actual cake and it comes together quickly. The only problem I had while making this was that I didn’t cook it long enough. I realized this after I had already taken it out of the oven, and after a few minutes of worrying about what I should do, I ended up putting it back in the oven while the oven was cooling down. And although the cake ended up falling a bit in the middle, this trick mostly worked because by desert time, the cake was fully cooked.

I found some fresh raspberries at the store that I couldn’t pass up, and they were the perfect companion, along with some fresh whipped cream. Both my husband and I were in love with the flavor and texture of this cake. It’s not like your typical cake because the flour is replaced with ground almonds. The nutty flavor along with the chocolate were a perfect match. I would suggest using the highest quality ingredients for this cake, as they really shine through.

A perfect ending to a wonderful Easter dinner!!

Italian Chocolate-Almond Torte
from Pure Dessert

1 cup (5 ounces) unblanched or blanched whole almonds
7 ounces good-quality unsweetened chocolate, roughly chopped
1 cup sugar
1/8 teaspoon salt
7 large egg whites (1 cup)
1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
Powdered sugar or unsweetened cocoa powder for dusting
Sweetened whipped cream for serving (optional)

Position a rack in the lower third of the oven and preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease the sides of the springform pan and line the bottom with parchment paper.

Combine the almonds. chocolate, 1/2 cup of the sugar, and the salt in a food processor and pulse until the almonds and chocolate are very finely chopped but not completely pulverized. Set aside.

In the clean dry bowl of a stand mixer or using a hand-held mixer and a large bowl, beat the egg whites with cream of tarter until soft, moist peaks are formed when the beaters are lifted. Gradually add the remaining 1/2 cup sugar and continue to beat until the egg whites are stiff but not dry. Add one-third of the nut mixture to the egg whites and fold in with a large rubber spatula until nearly incorporated. Fold in half of the remaining nuts, then fold in the rest of the nuts.

Scrape the batter into the prepared pan and spread it evenly. Bake until the torte has risen and is golden brown on top and a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean, or with a little melted chocolate, 25 to 30 minutes. Set the pan on a rack to cool for 10 minutes. Remove the sides of the pan and invert the cake onto the rack. Remove the bottom of the pan and then the parchment liner. Turn the cake right side up and cool completely. Cover or wrap tightly, and store for up to 3 days at room temperature.

To serve, transfer the cake to a serving plate. Dust with powdered sugar or cocoa, and serve slices with a dollop of whipped cream, if desired.

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