Torta Barozzi
Author: Nicole
Ingredients
  • 10 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into 10 pieces, plus more for the pan
  • 6 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped (see Notes)
  • ¼ cup Dutch-processed cocoa powder, plus more for dusting (see Notes)
  • 1 tablespoon instant espresso powder
  • 4 large eggs, separated, at room temperature (see Notes)
  • ¾ cup white sugar, divided
  • 1 cup almond flour
  • ¾ teaspoon fine sea salt
  • 3 tablespoons dark rum (such as Myers’s)
  • Serve with vanilla crème fraîche (see Notes), lightly sweetened mascarpone or whipped cream, or vanilla gelato
Instructions
  1. I recommend preparing the pan and getting all of the ingredients ready before beginning the recipe.
  2. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Butter an 8-inch square pan, line the bottom with a parchment square and butter the parchment.
  3. In a medium saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter. Remove from the heat and add the chocolate, cocoa and espresso powder. Let stand for a few minutes to allow the chocolate to soften, then whisk until the mixture is smooth. Cool until barely warm to the touch.
  4. In a large bowl, vigorously whisk the egg yolks and ½ cup sugar until lightened and creamy, about 30 seconds. Add the chocolate mixture and whisk until well distributed. Add the almond flour and salt, then whisk until fully incorporated. Whisk in the rum; set aside.
  5. In a stand mixer with the whisk attachment or in a large bowl with a hand mixer, whip the egg whites on medium-high until frothy, 1 to 2 minutes. With the mixer running, gradually add the remaining ¼ cup sugar. Beat until the whites hold soft peaks, about 2 minutes. Add about a third of the whipped whites to the yolk-chocolate mixture and fold with a silicone spatula to lighten and loosen the base. Scrape in the remaining whites and gently fold them into the batter until no streaks remain.
  6. Transfer to the prepared pan and gently shake, tilt the pan or use a rubber spatulat to level the batter.
  7. Bake until the cake is slightly domed and a toothpick inserted at the center comes out with a few crumbs attached, 30 to 35 minutes.
  8. Cool in the pan on a wire rack for 30 to 45 minutes; the cake will deflate slightly as it cools.
  9. Run a paring knife around the inside edge of the pan to loosen the cake, then invert onto a platter; if needed, peel off and discard the parchment. You do not need to re-invert it. Cool completely.
  10. Dust with cocoa before serving.
  11. Top each slice with vanilla crème fraîche, lightly sweetened mascarpone or whipped cream, or vanilla gelato.
Notes
* You can also make this in a 9-inch round cake pan or springform pan. Start checking to see if it’s done at 30 minutes as it may take a bit less time.
* For this recipe, you want to use Dutch-process cocoa powder (rather than natural cocoa powder) as it produces a more intense chocolate flavor which is ideal for this torta. Guittard’s Cocoa Rouge Unsweetened Cocoa Powder (red container) is my go-to.
* I used Guittard Bittersweet Chocolate Baking Bars (70%).
* Refrigerated eggs typically take about 30 minutes to reach room temperature when left on the counter. If you need to speed things up, you can place them in a bowl of warm (not hot) water for 5 to 10 minutes. Just avoid using hot water, as it can start cooking the eggs.
* The torta can be made one day in advance. Cover and store at room temperature. Dust with cocoa before serving.
* Vermont Creamery’s Vanilla Crème Fraîche is a perfect accompaniment.
Recipe by Riegl Palate at https://www.rieglpalate.com/torta-barozzi/