Torta Caprese (Flourless Chocolate Cake)

The theme for this fortnight's Cookbook Challenge was "Celebration".  So what defines a celebration?  Does it have to be an actual event?  Can it simply be the Celebration of Food?  Can it be the Celebration that it is Friday?

Well I pondered on this one for quite some time - and really didn't come up with an answer.  I am therefore going to enter two entries as my Celebration theme.  One is the recipe that I made last week Barramundi with Asian Broth and Sweet Potato Mash - as that simply was a Celebration of Tastes!! The other recipe is for Torta Caprese as I made this for a friend's Birthday - so that is an actual Celebration!!

This is the first time that I have made a flourless Chocolate cake in the Thermomix - let me tell you it was so easy.

Torta Caprese
(Flourless Almond Cake)
From Thermomix EDC Cookbook

250g dark chocolate, broken into pieces
250g almonds
250g sugar (I used caster)
150g butter, at room temperature
6 eggs
1 tbs baking powder
1 tbs cocoa powder

Topping

100g dark chocolate, broken into pieces
80g cream

Preheat oven to 180C (non fan)

Grease, and line the base of a 22-24cm springform pan with baking paper.

Place the chocolate into the TM bowl and grate for 5-10 seconds on speed 8.  Set aside

Place the almonds in the TM bowl and mill for 4-6 seconds on speed 6.  Add to the chocolate.

Place the remaining ingredients into the TM bowl and mix for 20 seconds on speed 7.

Add the chocolate and almonds and continue to mix for 30 seconds on speed 6.

Place the mixture into the prepared pan.  Bake for approximately 1 hour.

Allow to site in baking pan for 5-10 minutes, then remove, and place on a rack to cool.

Once the cake has cooled it is time to make the frosting.

Place the chocolate into the TM bowl and grate for 5 seconds on speed 8.

Add the cream and cook for 2 minutes at 50 degrees on speed 3.

Cover the cake with the topping, allowing it to run down the sides.

Serve with whipped cream that has had a small amount of caste sugar and vanilla added to it.



There you have a cake worthy of a 50th Birthday Celebration!!!!  Happy Birthday Jan!!!


As I had to take this somewhere I had a hard time trying to keep a piece from the marauding hordes so I could take a photo - sorry!!!