Thanks to the children’s persistence, we are heading to the Cotswolds for a family weekend. We are staying in a large rented cottage, hoping to rest, relax and read. Realistically speaking, with everyone at work until the time of departure, it would be thoughtless and foolish not to prepare some food ahead of time.
I am starting with cake.
Looking into the store cupboard I found a good quantity of ground almonds and dark chocolate. Thoughts of the Hazelnut and Chocolate Cake which I first made four years ago. Let’s all say this together: how time flies!
This almond cake is a modified (although not simplified) version of the hazelnut cake. I did some background reading on cakes using almonds and chocolate and consistently Torta Caprese was featured. This is an Italian cake where the weight of the butter, sugar, chocolate and ground almonds are always equal in weight, with an adjustment made to the number of eggs used. I have made a table below for ease of reference when making different-sized cakes.
| Butter | 250 g | 165 g | 125 g | 85 g |
| Chocolate | 250 g | 165 g | 125 g | 85 g |
| Sugar | 250 g | 165 g | 125 g | 85 g |
| Eggs | 6 | 4 | 3 | 2 |
| Ground Almonds | 250 g | 165 g | 125 g | 85 g |
| Salt | Large pinch | Medium pinch | Small pinch | Small pinch |
| Cake tin | 9 inch / 25 cm | 7 inch / 18 cm | 6 inch / 15 cm | 5 inch / 12 cm |
| Cooking time | 45 minutes | 35 minutes | 30 minutes | 25 minutes |
My collection of round cake tins bought over the years
I used my induction hob and KitchenAid to make the cake. I made the first (2 egg) cake using the conventional method: melt butter and chocolate, pour onto almond/ sugar/ egg yolk mixture, whip egg whites separately then fold into almond-chocolate mixture. The resulting cake was very good indeed but I prefer my own method of making the cake (see below).
The first trial cake was very small so the cherries look quite big in comparison
In trying to be faithful to the recipe and not reduce any sugar, I used a 90% dark chocolate to balance the sweetness. I also added some rum and vanilla for good measure. The rum was purchased on a holiday to Mauritius in 2016 (once again: how time flies!)
For the Cake:
(Makes a 9 inch/ 25 cm cake, for 8 large and 12 medium portions)
250 g cold unsalted butter, cut into several large pieces
250 g dark chocolate, 90% cocoa content, broken into several large pieces
250 g ground almonds
250 g caster sugar
6 large eggs
3 tablespoons rum
2 teaspoon vanilla extract
Large pinch of fine sea salt
Flaked almonds (optional)
Icing sugar (optional)
Mixed berries and crème fraîche/ clotted cream/ vanilla ice cream, for serving
You will also need a 9 inch / 25 cm cake tin with a removable base. Line the bottom with baking paper and grease the sides with butter.
How to make:
Preheat oven to 155°C fan/ 170°C electric.
In a small saucepan, melt the butter together with the chocolate over a very low heat, around 2.5 (out of level 9) if you have an induction hob.
(If you are worried about placing the saucepan directly over the heat source, then place the butter and chocolate in a metal or glass bowl over a pot of gently simmering water. The water must not touch the base of the bowl. Stir with a metal spoon until melted.)
Remove the saucepan (or bowl) from the heat, add the rum and vanilla, and leave mixture to cool slightly.
Place the sugar and eggs in the bowl of a free standing electric mixer. Using the balloon whisk attachment, whisk until the mixture has thickened and has the consistency of custard.
Pour the chocolate mixture into the egg mixture and gently mix together using a silicon spatula.
Finally, fold in the ground almonds and salt.
Pour the mixture into the prepared baking tin. Bake in the preheated oven for 45 minutes, or until the cake bounces back slightly when touched. The bounce will not be very pronounced as there is no gluten in the cake. A metal skewer inserted in the centre should come out clean.
Variations:
For chocolate icing, melt 150 g of dark chocolate and 150 g of double cream together in a pot, stir until will mixed then spread over the cooled cake. This amount is for a 6-egg cake, please adjust the amount for smaller cakes.
I am writing this in the middle of a hot Summer. If serving the cake on the same day, I would consider sprinkling over some flaked almonds before baking, then dusting the cake with icing sugar afterwards. For our weekend away I am bringing along some seasonal berries and both crème fraîche and clotted cream.
Whisk the eggs and sugar until the volume has at least doubled, as the air makes the cake lighter in texture
The cake before and after baking
I am also aiming to bring along some focaccia, made using an overnight fermentation method which requires no kneading.