The almond and chocolate caprese cake: discover the recipe for an irresistible classic

The almond and chocolate caprese cake: discover the recipe for an irresistible classic.

Caprese is a cornerstone of Neapolitan gastronomy and as you will have understood it takes its name from the island of the same name, already an exclusive holiday destination at the time of the emperors ( Tiberius had a villa built for us, the ruins of which can still be seen today).

The basic ingredients of this delight are almonds and chocolate . Legend has it, almost certainly fake, that this cake was born to satisfy the wishes of the Austrian queen consort, who struck by nostalgia for the Sacher Torte ordered that the court pastry chefs remake it for her in Naples.

The cook didn’t know the recipe, but as a good Italian he decided to imitate it with the ingredients he had available. Needless to say, the result was a great success, whether the story is true or false.

The almond and chocolate caprese cake: discover the recipe for an irresistible classic

The ingredients

The ingredients for the caprese are as follows: two ounces of dark chocolate; 200 grams of almonds; 200 grams of sugar; 150 grams of butter; four eggs.

The preparation

For the preparation of this wonder do this

first of all it is necessary to toast the almonds in the oven at 200 degrees for about a quarter of an hour, after which they must be ground with a food processor; at this point, break the eggs, separating the reds from the whites: the latter should be whipped until stiff with half a pound of sugar and a pinch of salt;

the next step is to melt the dark chocolate: the operation must be done in a bain- marie ; then whip the butter (which you will have softened at room temperature) with the remaining sugar until you get a mixture with a frothy consistency; then add one yolk at a time to this mixture, incorporating well before adding the next;

once the yolks are incorporated, it is the turn of the chocolate, which must be added melted and warm together with the ground almonds: mix well; lastly, the egg whites, which you will have whipped until stiff, are added: take care to do it with enveloping movements from the bottom up, otherwise the mass will fall apart;

now take a cake mold of about 20 centimeters in diameter and pour the mixture into it, then put it in the oven at 180 degrees for three quarters of an hour;

the final touch can be a nice dusting with icing sugar.

A delicious variant can be the one with the addition of lemon, both in the form of essence and grated rind.