Description
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
About Your Expert
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.
Audience
This conversation is suitable for all ages.
Duration
90 minutes, including a 30 minute Q&A.