Preparation: 20min
Cooking: 50min
Serves: 8-10 people
Difficulty: medium
When my brother and I were kids my mum's present for our birthdays was the Caprese cake. She would make it the night before and I would help her in the making, eating the chocolate from the pot and adding the almonds. It's our tradition and it's her way to show us love.
Happy birthday mum, I wish I could be there to prepare it for you...
Mamma Flora's Tip: When my mum makes this divine cake she always prepares two. One for us and the other to send to friends and family. They love it!
This cake should remain moist inside, so check your oven, you might need less cooking time or a lower temperature
The chocolate plays a fundamental role in this cake, I use the Perugina (Italian brand) blocks of dark chocolate in this case
Ingredients:
- 250gr unblanched almonds
- 250gr sugar
- 150gr dark chocolate.
- 150gr butter + 50gr to butter the cake pan
- 5 eggs
- 3 tablespoons dark cocoa powder
- 1/2 a "espresso" cup of limoncello
- 1/2 glass of milk
- juice of 1/2 a orange
- drops of lemon juice
- icing sugar
Tools:
- 2 small pots
- 2 big bowls
- a round cake pan not higher than 4cm and not wider than 30cm
- kitchen whisk or electrical mixer
- food processor
- kitchen foil
Method:
- Pre heat the oven at 180°C
- Prepare the cake pan by covering every corner with butter. Cover the inside of the cake pan with foil and cover again with butter (see photo below)
- In a small pot put the butter to melt at very low heat until completely melted, be careful it should not brown
- In another small pot pour the milk with the chunks of dark chocolate to melt at low heat, stir it from time to time until it completely melts
- In the meantime grind the almonds in the food processor per your taste, I prefer them very fine
- Separate the egg yolks and the egg whites. Put the egg yolks aside for the moment. Whisk the egg whites with 4 drops of lemon juice until stiff peaks. We will use it later
- Once the butter is melted, add it in a big bowl with the sugar and whisk it with a whisk or electric mixer
- Add the egg yolks to the mixture (butter + sugar) and whisk it again until the cream is very smooth
- Add the almonds in the mixture and whisk again until it becomes nice and uniform
- Add the melted chocolate, the juice of the orange and the limoncello, mix it until homogenous
- Add the dark cocoa powder and mix it again
- Now add the egg whites you whipped before and carefully mix everything together
- Our mixture is ready. Let's bake! Allow 50min in the oven
- After 45-50min check with a spaghetto if the cake is ready. Insert a spaghetto in the heart of the cake and it should come back moist but not liquid and moreover not dry
- It's done! Share it with the ones you love