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Chocolate Caprese Cake
The Chocolate Caprese Cake is a dense and moist cake made with almond flour and 100% cocoa powder, offering a rich and intense experience for chocolate lovers.
chocolate
oven
cake
dessert
almond
Ingredients
Servings:
4

Ingredients

  • recipe by Etttore Cioccia Ingredients
  • 225 gsalmond flour
  • 25 g100% cocoa powder
  • 150 gsoftened butter
  • 110 gpowdered sugar
  • 2 sencerseggs sencers (in TOTAL 4 eggs)
  • 60 gegg whites (1 + the white of the other)
  • 75 gpowdered sugar (for making meringue)
  • OPTIONAL: a little bit of liqueur
  • sliced almond for decorating
  • powdered sugar for decorating
  • DETACHABLE round SPRINGFORM.
Nutritional Information

Per Serving (Approx.)

Calories
21038 kcal
Protein
573 g
Fat
95 g
Carbohydrates
4326 g

Disclaimer: These values are estimates based on ingredient types and may not be precise.

Step-by-step Guide

Springform Pan. Springform Pan

  • Preheat the oven to 180°C with heat from above and below to ensure the cake cooks evenly.
  • Prepare a round springform pan by greasing it with butter and lightly flouring it to prevent the cake from sticking.
  • Pour the batter evenly into the pan and place it in the preheated oven. Bake the cake for 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
  • Once baked, remove the pan from the oven and let it cool on a wire rack for at least 10 minutes before removing to prevent breaking.

Preparation according to Etttore Cioccia's recipe

  • Preheat the oven to 180°C to ensure a consistent temperature before placing the cake inside.
  • Place the diced softened butter into the bowl of the food processor. Using the K beater, work it until you achieve a smooth and homogeneous paste. If doing it by hand, use a whisk or spatula.
  • Gradually incorporate the icing sugar into the butter, mixing until the sugar is fully integrated and the mixture is homogeneous.
  • In a separate bowl, lightly beat the eggs and yolk until they start to foam.
  • Add the eggs to the butter mixture very gradually, ensuring that each small amount is fully integrated before adding more. This patience is key to the final texture.
  • Whip the egg whites with the sugar until you obtain a stiff and glossy meringue. Set it aside for later.
  • Sift the cocoa powder directly over the butter mixture and gently fold it in with a rubber spatula until fully incorporated.
  • Add the almond flour in four parts, gently mixing with the spatula until evenly distributed throughout the batter.
  • If desired, now is the time to incorporate a liqueur or essence to add an aromatic touch to the mixture.
  • Finally, fold in the stiffly beaten egg whites in two or three additions, stirring gently to maintain the fluffiness.
  • Grease the mold with butter and line it with parchment paper. Use a springform pan to facilitate easy unmolding without breaking.
  • Important: Transfer the batter to a piping bag. Fill the mold using the piping bag to prevent any knocks that could remove the batter's airiness.
  • Fill the mold by creating spiral layers with the batter, starting from the center and moving outwards.
  • Bake the cake in a preheated oven at 180 ºC with heat from both top and bottom for 30-35 minutes. Ensure that the center of the cake remains slightly moist, as this is essential for the desired result.
  • Do not extend the baking time too long; the cake should have a moist interior and not be like a dry sponge cake.
  • Allow the cake to cool inside the oven with the door half-open to avoid a sudden change in temperature.
  • Do not unmold the cake until it is completely cool to avoid it breaking.
  • Once it is cool, carefully unmold it to avoid damaging its structure.
  • Sift a generous layer of powdered sugar on top. It is common to leave a part without sugar using a stencil to create decorative shapes.
  • Arrange sliced almonds forming a circle around the edges of the cake to give it an elegant finish.

According to the Recipe of Matteo de Filippo

  • Preheat the oven to 180ºC to prepare it for baking the cake.
  • Roast the raw almonds (and hazelnuts) on a baking sheet at 140 ºC for approximately 20-25 minutes, keeping an eye on them to ensure they become slightly golden but not burnt.
  • If you prefer not to roast them, you can add them raw and crushed. However, the flavor and aroma of the cake improve significantly if you roast the almonds freshly.
  • Once roasted, let the almonds (and hazelnuts) cool to room temperature.
  • When they are cool, if you have used hazelnuts, place a clean kitchen cloth on the counter and put the hazelnuts on it. Bring the corners of the cloth together to form a bag and rub the hazelnuts to remove the skins (make sure to close the sides well to prevent them from falling on the floor).
  • Grind the almonds (and hazelnuts) with a grinder or food processor until they are just crushed, but not too fine.
  • In a pot, melt the chocolate in a bain-marie. It's important to avoid any water droplets from falling in while stirring constantly.
  • Let the melted chocolate cool to room temperature.
  • In a bowl, cream the softened butter with the sugar. Once creamed, beat with the whisk until you obtain a soft and frothy mixture.
  • Add the egg yolks, one at a time, while continuing to beat to maintain the frothy consistency.
  • Add the melted, now cooled, chocolate to the mixture. Stir well to fully integrate it.
  • Add the chopped almonds (or almonds and hazelnuts) to the chocolate mixture, and stir with a spatula until everything is well combined.
  • Separately, beat the egg whites with the sugar until stiff peaks form, creating a thick and glossy meringue.
  • Add the whipped egg whites to the chocolate bowl in two or three additions, gently folding with the spatula to maintain a fluffy texture.
  • Grease the mold with butter and line it with parchment paper. Ensure the mold is detachable so the cake doesn’t break when unmolded.
  • Fill the mold evenly with the cake batter.
  • Preheat the oven to 180ºC with heat directed from both the top and bottom for approximately 30-35 minutes, depending on your oven.
  • Do not exceed the cooking time, as this is a tart that should remain slightly moist inside and not become like a sponge cake.
  • Allow it to cool inside the oven with the door half-open, so the tart can set gradually.
  • Do not unmold the cake until it is completely cold to avoid breaking it.
  • Once it is cold, carefully unmold it to preserve its shape.
  • Sift a generous layer of powdered sugar on top. You can leave part without sugar by placing a stencil before sifting.
Recommendations & Tricks
  • Ensure that the eggs and butter are at room temperature before starting to cook. It's best to take them out of the fridge at least 2 hours beforehand to ensure the butter is well-softened and easy to beat.
  • For a smoother texture, follow Ettore Cioccia's recipe. If you prefer a texture with more depth, choose Matteo de Filippo's recipe, which may include a combination of almonds and hazelnuts.
  • If using Ettore Cioccia's mold, ensure the diameter is Ø20 cm. This is important for even baking and proper texture development.
  • For Matteo de Filippo's recipe, prepare a Ø20 cm mold by buttering it and lightly flouring it or by lining it with baking paper to prevent the cake from sticking.
  • Weigh the ingredients precisely: use 225 g of almond flour for Ettore's recipe and 200 g of raw almonds or a combination of almonds and hazelnuts as suggested by Matteo. The precision in the amount of these ingredients is key to achieving the correct cake texture.
  • Use 25 g of 100% cocoa powder for Ettore Cioccia’s recipe and 200 g of finely chopped dark couverture chocolate for Matteo de Filippo’s recipe to achieve an intense and balanced flavor.