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Cooking Class: Torta Caprese with Gina Tringali

Cooking Class: Torta Caprese with Gina Tringali


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Can't make this time? A video recording will be sent to all participants after the seminar.

Chocolate, cioccolata, arrived from the New World to Europe in the early sixteenth century in a liquid form. Cacao was valued for not only its rich and bitter flavor but for its medicinal uses. A luxury, bitter chocolate was and is added to sauces in Italy used for game.
In today’s hands-on conversation, we will trace the voyage of chocolate from the New World to Italy and land in the 1920s when Torta Caprese was created like many dishes by accident. The famous gluten-free chocolate almond cake is on the menu today. It is the perfect treat to indulge in any day of the year.
In this hands-on conversation, we will learn how to prepare this delicious dessert. Led by food historian, sommelier, and home cook Gina Tringali, this interactive lesson will have you baking Torta Caprese like an expert. Designed to deliver a taste of Capri, participants will come away with an understanding of how to make this beloved dessert and learn about how it came to be.

Below are the items you’ll want to participate in this class. We will email attendees the full recipe with measurements and instructions prior to the class so that they can pre-measure ingredients before joining.
Ingredients:
For the Torta:
  • 4.5 oz blanched whole almonds 
  • 4.5 oz good quality dark chocolate (I use 70% cocoa), you can add a little extra chocolate for a more intense taste
  • 1 stick plus 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, chopped
  • 1/2 cup granulated sugar 
  • 3 large eggs, separated and brought to room temp
  • powdered sugar for dusting
  • Extra butter to grease the pan 

For the whipped cream (optional):
  • 8.8 oz whipping cream or heavy cream
  • 1-2 tbsp confectioner sugar (optional)
  • Lemon or orange zest from 1 lemon or 1 orange or a blend

Equipment:
We don’t list every item you’ll need here (e.g., standard items like knives, bowls, cutting boards). But we do our best to identify items that may not be in every kitchen and alternatives where possible.
  • 8 inch round cake pan (Gina prefers to use springform)
  • Food processor (if using whole almonds)
  • Metal or glass bowl to melt chocolate
  • Double boiler or a small saucepan to place the bowl over while melting the chocolate
  • Spoon, spatula
  • Hand or stand mixer

Gina is a food historian, coffee connoisseur and cook. Born into an Italian-American family, Gina spent countless hours in the kitchens of her mom and her Neapolitan and Sicilian grandmothers – watching, cooking, tasting – dreaming of living in Italy. In 2007 she relocated to Rome where she earned a Master's degree in Italian Gastronomic Culture from the Università degli Studi di Roma “Tor Vergata”, and became a certified sommelier and member of AIS. She also holds an MBA from NYU. Before relocating to Rome, she worked for Tom Colicchio's Craft family of restaurants in NYC in business development and marketing and she spent some time in the kitchen. Her writing appears on numerous food and travel publications.

This conversation is suitable for all ages.

90 minutes, including a 30 minute Q&A.

Customer Reviews

Based on 8 reviews
88%
(7)
0%
(0)
13%
(1)
0%
(0)
0%
(0)
A
Anonymous (Bellmore, US)

Gina is a wonderful cooking instructor and her torta caprese looks delicious - you can almost taste it through the computer screen.

J
Jan Daugharty (Rathdrum, US)

I unfortunately spaced the class so am looking forward to watching the video. I am sure it was amazing. Every class I have taken from Gina has been.

C
Cheryl Sutherland (Chicago, US)
Fantastic Cake

I was unable to participate in real time. I was extremely grateful that Context provided a video. Gina’s instructions and demonstration was spot on. I didn’t have any issues. I love that the cake is Keto friendly with a very minor substitution!! Very easy to replicate. She was thorough, demonstrating her mise en place so it was easy to see all the ingredients meticulously laid out. She was terrific. I would most definitely take another class with her.

E
Elizabeth (Philadelphia, US)
Delicious and easy gluten free cake

This was a fun class learning to make the most delicious and most chocolatey dessert. We got tips on variations that will be fun to try.

J
Jan Leno
Wonderful instructor with great recipes

Gina's presentation was engaging and served as a great model for me when I made this wonderful cake a few hours after the class.

Customer Reviews

Based on 8 reviews
88%
(7)
0%
(0)
13%
(1)
0%
(0)
0%
(0)
A
Anonymous (Bellmore, US)

Gina is a wonderful cooking instructor and her torta caprese looks delicious - you can almost taste it through the computer screen.

J
Jan Daugharty (Rathdrum, US)

I unfortunately spaced the class so am looking forward to watching the video. I am sure it was amazing. Every class I have taken from Gina has been.

C
Cheryl Sutherland (Chicago, US)
Fantastic Cake

I was unable to participate in real time. I was extremely grateful that Context provided a video. Gina’s instructions and demonstration was spot on. I didn’t have any issues. I love that the cake is Keto friendly with a very minor substitution!! Very easy to replicate. She was thorough, demonstrating her mise en place so it was easy to see all the ingredients meticulously laid out. She was terrific. I would most definitely take another class with her.

E
Elizabeth (Philadelphia, US)
Delicious and easy gluten free cake

This was a fun class learning to make the most delicious and most chocolatey dessert. We got tips on variations that will be fun to try.

J
Jan Leno
Wonderful instructor with great recipes

Gina's presentation was engaging and served as a great model for me when I made this wonderful cake a few hours after the class.