My name is Lora and I write about my baking adventures at Cake Duchess. I live in South Florida and I spend my days busy with my children and baking. My baking blog has given me the opportunity to meet other wonderful cooks and bakers. Every day I look forward to seeing what my friends have created.
It fills me with joy to make my family and friends smile when they see something sweet and delicious coming out of my oven. I am thrilled to be a part of my dear friend Monet’s lovely blog. I hope to make you smile with my Tortine Dolci Capresi (Mini Flourless Chocolate Cakes).
I am part Italian and I am married to an Italian. I adore Italian food and of course, Italian desserts. A Torta Caprese is an Italian flourless chocolate cake. I used my mother-in-law’s recipe and tweaked it to make it my own version. The result is a moist and flourless chocolate cake with a hint of peanut-butter flavor. You could make it in a 9 inch spring form pan or the mini version like I did. I happen to think they are adorable in the smaller version.
I hope you all have a blessed holiday full of love, laughter, and good food!
Thank you, Monet, for having me as a guest poster. It has been a pleasure baking for you and your fantastic readers.
yield: approximately 12 mini cakes
1 1/4 cups blanched, sliced almonds
8 tablespoons butter
8 ounces semi-sweet chocolate chocolate
3/4 cup granulated sugar
4 large eggs, separated
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons confectioner’s sugar
3 tablespoons cocoa (not Dutch process)
3 tablespoons smooth peanut butter
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar (the vinegar is supposed to stop it from cracking too much while rising)
Confectioner’s sugar, for garnish
Preheat the oven to 325. Prepare your cupcake pan with the liners. Toast the almonds on a baking sheet for about 7 minutes (until they are nice and golden). Let the almonds cool and then pulse in a food processor with the 2 tablespoons confectioner’s sugar and the 3 tablespoons cocoa. Pulse until it is powdery, but not a paste.
Chop the chocolate into small pieces. Melt the butter and the chocolate pieces in a heatproof bowl set over a saucepan of simmering water. Stir the chocolate and butter until they are smooth. Remove from the heat and let the chocolate cool.
Add the egg yolks one at a time to the sugar and mix well after each addition. It should be thick and pale. Mix in the vanilla and apple cider vinegar.
On medium speed, beat in the melted chocolate and peanut butter until it is smooth. Mix in the ground almonds until it is combined. Scrape down the sides of the bowl several times while you are mixing.
In a clean bowl, whip the egg whites and salt to stiff peaks. Fold the egg whites into the chocolate batter. Fold it in in a little bit at a time. Be sure to not leave any streaks of white.
Ladle the liners about 2/3-3/4 full with the batter. Bake for about 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.
Cool on a wire rack before removing the liners from the pan. The cakes will have puffed when they are almost ready and then they will settle slightly but will remain level.
Ryan and I are in Colorado for the next ten days. We will be spending time wiht our families, friends, and baby Ryan. I will be updating the blog as much as I can. Thank you for your continued love and support. Happy Holidays, my friends!
Always,
Monet
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