Torta Caprese

This traditional Italian chocolate dessert is gluten-free, rich and dense with chocolate and almonds and moisturized with olive oil. A decadent finale! Excellent served with espresso. Buon appetito!

Line a 9″ springform pan with parchment  paper. Lightly oil the bottom.

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

6 oz. good quality bittersweet chocolate (not unsweetened), chopped and melted

1/2 cup plus 2 Tbls. extra virgin olive oil – I use Galantino Mandarin extra virgin olive oil* (see notes below)

1 Tbls. grated orange rind

4 large eggs, separated

1 cup sugar (I use superfine)

7 oz. almond flour or finely ground whole almonds

whipped cream to decorate or if you prefer, powdered sugar dust

Gently melt the chocolate and stir in the olive oil. Set aside.

Beat the sugar and 4 egg yolks until light and creamy.

Stir the ground almonds or almond flour into the sugar and egg mixture.

Gently stir in the melted chocolate and olive oil.

Beat the 4 egg whites with a pinch of cream of tartar until stiff peaks form.

Gradually fold the egg whites into the chocolate mixture. The mixture will not be light and airy but still rather dense.

Pour into prepared pan and bake for about 50 minutes. I usually start checking the cake at 40 minutes by inserting a toothpick in the center to see if the inside is still damp or beginning to form moist crumbs. This cake does have a fudgy inside so do not over bake it.

Let cool for half an hour and run a spatula around the edges to loosen the sides. Undo the sides of the pan and let cool. Cake can be kept for up to 5 days, wrapped in saran wrap in the refrigerator. It actually improves with flavor!

*I have made this cake using the full amount of mandarin oil and have also made it with half mandarin and half extra virgin olive oil. Feel free to improvise by using only extra virgin olive oil, eliminating the orange peel and perhaps stirring in a tsp. of coffee power for a chocolate coffee flavor. Or, use extra virgin olive oil and stir in a tsp. of almond extract. Use your imagination!