Torta Caprese (Flourless Chocolate and Almond Cake)

• 180 g Unsalted butter
• 200 g Dark baking chocolate
• 180 g Caster sugar
• 5 Egg, room temperature
• 1 tsp Vanilla extract
• 1 pinch Fine sea salt
• 200 g Ground almonds
• 20 g Cocoa powder
• 15 g Icing sugar

1. Heat the oven to 170°C (340°F). Grease a 23 cm cake tin and dust it lightly with a little of the cocoa powder, tapping out any excess.
2. Melt the unsalted butter and dark chocolate together in a saucepan over a low heat, stirring until smooth. Take off the heat and leave to cool until just warm to the touch.
3. Separate the eggs, putting the yolks in a large mixing bowl and the whites in another bowl. Add the caster sugar, vanilla extract and fine sea salt to the yolks and whisk until paler and slightly thickened.
4. Whisk the egg whites to soft peaks. They should hold their shape but still look glossy.
5. Whisk the melted chocolate mixture into the yolk mixture until fully combined. Fold in the ground almonds and remaining cocoa powder until no dry pockets remain.
6. Fold in one third of the egg whites to loosen the batter, then gently fold in the rest in two additions. Stop as soon as the batter looks evenly aerated and streak-free.
7. Scrape the batter into the prepared tin and level the top. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, until the cake is just set at the edges and the centre still has a slight wobble.
8. Cool in the tin for 15 minutes, then turn out and cool completely on a rack. Dust with icing sugar just before slicing.

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