Using your fantasy to make a new cake is not always successful. My cooking concept does not apply to cakes unless you want to bake something easy. There you can dare!
Some friends of mine invited me for a pizza dinner at their place. The menu is then fixed. I can choose to bring some good wine bottle or bake a cake.
The title is not misleading. I decide to bake a cake!

The decision

I love dark chocolate, so I decide to look up for some chocolate cake recipes. Navigating on the web, happen to see one of the best Italian pastry chefs ‘Sal de Riso’ baking a delicious ‘TORTA CAPRESE.’
Torta Caprese is a traditional Italian hazelnut, almond and chocolate cake named from the island of Capri from which it originates.
There are several apocryphal stories about the cake’s origin. A legend told that an Austrian princess married to the king of Naples wanted the Sacher cake (an Austrian chocolate cake), but Neapolitan chefs didn’t know this recipe, so they improvised by using a typical Neopolitan ingredient: almonds. The baker forgot to add flour to the mix, but the result was a delicious cake.
I am going to try to bake it, but following the recipe this time.

Step by step

THE INGREDIENTS

When I bake a cake I can better follow the exact amount of ingredients. It is the only moment when I actually use the scales. In the photo below you can see all the ingredients that I have used to bake the ‘Caprese’.

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Roast the almonds and hazelnut to then make it into powder using a mixer. Poor them in a bowl and put it on the side.
2. With the help of an electric whisk, blend half of the powdered sugar with the egg yolks.
3. Mix the powder nuts with the yeast, cacao, powder chocolate, and starch. I will call this mix as ‘powders’.
4. With the help of an electric whisk (clean it before re-using it), blend the other half of the powdered sugar with the egg whites. Mix for about 5 minutes until the egg whites are whipped.
5. In the sugar+yolks bowl, add 1/3 of powders and 1/3 of whipped egg whites. Mix from the bottom to the top and not so fast.  Now you can add the other 1/3 of powders and 1/3 of whipped egg whites. Mix again.
6. Add the last 1/3 of powders and 1/3 of whipped egg whites. So you get a soft and smooth mixture.
7. Preheat your oven for at least 20 minutes at 170 degrees on the ventilated program.
8. Bake the cake for 40 minutes.

See below a few photos of the steps described above.

It is always fun to bake a cake. For me, it takes longer and I always make a mess in my kitchen. I need a half-hour to clean up …but I enjoy it!

P.S. When I bake a cake for friends or guests, I always bake a small one for my self. I use a 10cm baking tin… one lovely portion for myself. You won’t regret to have it.

Give a try and let me know how you like it.