Torta Caprese Flourless Chocolate Cake

Ingredients:
1 cup (200g) whole skinned almonds
1 cup (200g) dark chocolate, 70% minimum cocoa solids, broken into squares
1 cup (200g) butter
4 eggs, separated
1 cup (200g) caster sugar

Directions:
1. Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F/gas mark 4. Grease a loose-bottomed 9 inch (23 cm) diameter cake tin. Pour the almonds onto a baking sheet and bake for ten minutes or until lightly browned. Chop the nuts finely with a large knife or use a food processor but stop before they become like sand. Small pieces the size of demerara sugar are ideal.

2. Melt the chocolate and butter in a heatproof bowl over a pan of barely simmering water or in a microwave, taking care not to burn the chocolate. Remove from the heat and allow to cool a little.

3.Whisk the egg yolks and sugar together until light and fluffy. In a separate bowl, whisk the egg whites until they form soft peaks.

4. Add the melted chocolate and butter to the egg yolks and combine thoroughly. Mix in the ground almonds. Fold in the egg whites using either a whisk or a spatula until well combined then pour into the prepared cake tin.

5. Transfer to the oven and cook for 35 - 40 minutes. The cake is cooked when it forms a crust on the outside. Don’t expect an inserted skewer to come out clean because the centre always remains moist. To decorate the top scatter over some icing sugar through a fine sieve over a doily, remove carefully. Serve Torta Caprese at room temperature.