Flourless Chocolate Cake

ITALY

Depending on which origin story you believe (and there are many), the torta caprese, from the Italian island of Capri, might be the result of a mistake (a baker in the 1920s forgot to add flour to a cake recipe) or possibly simply a cake designed to showcase almonds, an ingredient typical of that part of Italy. Any way you look at it, the cake is delicious, soft and creamy. Gluten-free / Serves 6

170 grams unsalted butter, at room temperature, plus more for the pan 1½ tablespoons potato starch, plus more for the pan

180 grams icing sugar, plus 2

tablespoons for dusting ½ vanilla bean, split

lengthwise

5 large eggs, separated, at

room temperature pinch salt

170 grams dark chocolate,

grated

80 grams almonds, finely

chopped

80 grams hazelnuts, finely

chopped

2 tablespoons unsweetened

cocoa powder

1 teaspoon baking powder the oven to 180°C. Butter a 21cm round cake tin that is 8cm deep. Dust the pan with potato starch.

In a bowl, combine the softened butter and 90 grams of the sugar. Scrape the vanilla seeds into the bowl. With an electric mixer, beat at high speed for 4 minutes. Add the egg yolks and salt and mix for 5 more minutes.

In a separate bowl, stir together the chocolate, almonds, hazelnuts, potato starch, cocoa powder and baking powder.

In a third bowl, with clean beaters, beat the egg whites with the remaining 90 grams sugar until stiff peaks form. Fold half of the egg whites into the butter/egg yolk mixture and stir gently. Add half of the chocolate/nut mixture, then the remaining whites again and then the remaining chocolate/nut mixture. Gently mix all the ingredients until perfectly smooth.

Scrape the batter into the prepared pan and bake until the surface is dry and lightly cracked, about 45 minutes. Let the cake cool in the pan on a wire rack. Invert the cake onto a serving plate and dust with the remaining sugar.