Flourless Caprese cake.

0 of 7 steps completed

1. 1

   Grind the almonds

   Pulse the blanched almonds in short bursts until finely chopped but not reduced to flour: a few coarser pieces give the Caprese its rustic texture.

   
2. 2

   Melt the Laica Block

   Chop the Laica 50% Extra Dark Chocolate Block with a knife and melt it in a bain-marie, stirring until smooth. Leave it to cool to lukewarm: if hot, it would deflate the batter.

   
3. 3

   Cream the butter and sugar

   Beat the softened butter with the sugar for 4-5 minutes, until it becomes a pale, fluffy cream: this is the base that keeps the Caprese melting rather than dense.

   
4. 4

   Add the yolks

   Separate the eggs. Add the yolks to the creamed butter one at a time, waiting for each to be fully absorbed before adding the next.

   
5. 5

   Whisk the egg whites

   Whisk the egg whites with the pinch of salt to soft peaks, not stiff: they will fold in more easily without deflating the batter.

   
6. 6

   Bring the batter together

   Add the lukewarm melted chocolate and the chopped almonds to the butter mixture. Then fold in the egg whites in three additions, gently working from the bottom upwards.

   
7. 7

   Bake

   Pour into a 24 cm tin, buttered and dusted with cocoa. Bake at 170 °C in a conventional oven for 40-45 minutes: the centre should stay slightly moist. Leave to cool in the tin, turn out and dust with icing sugar.