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Culinary Vacations for Lovers of Food and Wine

Italy

Italian Chocolate Amaretto Torta with Blueberries.

"Serve this cake with piles of blueberries and whipped cream, it’s a slice of summer on your plate!"

Makes 8 Servings

4 squares bittersweet chocolate, chopped (or blend with semi-sweet chocolate if preferred)

3-4 tbsp amaretto liqueur to taste (or almond-flavoured liqueur)

1 stick unsalted butter, at room temperature (1/2 cup)

1/2 cup plus 1 tbsp granulated sugar

3 extra-large eggs, separated

2 oz amaretti (or almond-flavoured) cookies (about 10), finely crushed

1/2 cup all-purpose flour, sifted, plus extra for flouring the cake pan

Icing sugar

Method:

1) Grease 8-inch round cake pan with butter paper and dust with flour. Set aside.

2) In heatproof bowl, combine chocolate and amaretto; set over pan of steaming but not boiling water and let melt, (use steam to melt the chocolate, do not let bottom of bowl touch water).  Alternatively, use a double boiler.  Remove bowl from heat; stir gently and let cool.

3) In large bowl, combine butter and 1/2 cup sugar; using wooden spoon or electric mixer, beat until very light and fluffy.

4) Beat in egg yolks, one at a time.  Stir in cooled chocolate mixture until thoroughly blended.  Using large metal spoon, fold in finely crushed amaretti cookies and flour. 

5) In medium-sized bowl beat egg whites with electric beater until stiff peaks form.  Beat in remaining 1 tbsp sugar to make stiff, glossy meringue.  Fold into cake mixture in 3 additions.

6) Transfer mixture to prepared cake pan and bake in 350°F oven for 20 to 25 minutes or until just firm to the touch (and still soft inside once cooled).  Let cool in pan for 10 minutes, then remove from pan and transfer to wire rack to let cool completely. 

7) Sprinkle cake with icing sugar.  Cut into wedges and serve at room temperature (or slightly warm, if desired).  Garnish with whipped cream (with a touch of sugar to sweeten) and fresh blueberries for topping (or strawberries or raspberries, whatever fruit is in season).  It's best eaten within three days of baking and is not suitable for freezing.

Buon Appetito!

If you have questions about any of these recipes don’t hesitate to ask us – the recipes are in the chef’s own words.