Torta Barozzi

La torta Barozzi was introduced to me by our friend Mauro from Modena. He had made the torta by himself and brought it over for dinner. We all loved it, even my son although the torta Barozzi contains coffee!

I learnt the recipe and made it one day for my mother-in-law and her friend from Southern Italy. They immediately stated that it's very similar to another cake - to the Torta Caprese - an almond-chocolate cake from Capri. Both cakes, la torta Barozzi and la torta Caprese contain no flour, and are therefore are both gluten-free. Both cakes contain chocolate (which determines the dark brown color and moist texture) and roasted peeled almonds. The quantities of the ingredients are slightly different and the Torta Caprese contains no coffee which is the main difference. 

And here comes the recipe for the Torta Barozzi a la Mauro:

ingredients; 

4 eggs

250 gr dark chocolate

80 gr butter

150 gr sugar

30-60 gr Italian coffee powder (1 table spoon = 30 gr)

120 gr Almonds (peeled, roasted)

1 small glass of rum (20 ml, 2 table spoon)

How to: 

Melt butter and chocolate in a bain-marie, let it cool down and add rum

In the meantime, toast peeled almonds in oven (160 degree 15 min)

- preheat oven to 180 degree -

Whisk egg whites until firm (add bit of salt) and store in fridge

Crush almonds (Mulinex mill) finely

Beat egg yolk with sugar, add finely crushed almonds, mix, then add coffee and melted chocolate mix;

Add stiff egg white by stirring gently by hand;

Use round baking form (diameter about 23-26 cm)

Bake about 30 min baking in the oven at 180 degree. Do not exceed 35 min as the cake should remain moist.

Top with icing sugar after cake cooled down.

 
For larger forms - of diameter of 27 cm - or for extra muffins adjust the ingredients:

5 eggs, 300 gr chocolate, 150 gr almonds, 80-100 gr butter, 150-160 gr sugar, rum and coffee can remain the same.

Coffee can be added or avoided up to your taste. Our friend Mauro adds generously 50-60 gr of dried used coffee powder.