Torta Caprese

If using whole blanched almonds, pulse them in a food processor until they reach a fine, sandy consistency — the texture of coarse cornmeal. Do not over-process: if the almonds become warm and clumping, they are releasing their oils and will turn to almond paste rather than flour. Work in short 3-second pulses, scraping down the sides between each. The goal is a dry, free-flowing nut meal. If using store-bought almond flour, skip this step.

Combine the chopped dark chocolate and butter cubes in a heatproof bowl. Melt together over a gentle bain-marie (a saucepan of barely simmering water, bowl sitting above but not touching the water) or in a microwave in 30-second bursts, stirring between each. The mixture should be completely smooth and glossy — no streaks of unmelted chocolate. Let cool to room temperature, about 10 minutes. Do not use the chocolate mixture while it is still hot, as it will cook the egg yolks in the next step.

Separate the eggs, placing the yolks in one large bowl and the whites in another clean bowl. To the yolks, add the caster sugar and whisk until pale, slightly thickened, and the sugar is mostly dissolved, about 2 minutes. Add the cooled chocolate-butter mixture and whisk to combine. Add the vanilla extract and salt. Fold in the almond flour with a spatula until fully incorporated. The batter will be thick, glossy, and dense. Set aside. In the separate clean bowl, whisk the egg whites with a pinch of salt until they reach soft peaks — they should hold a peak that droops gently at the tip. Gently fold one-third of the whites into the chocolate batter to loosen it, then fold in the remaining whites in two additions, using slow, sweeping strokes to preserve as much air as possible.

Butter and line a 22 cm (9-inch) springform pan with parchment. Pour the batter in and smooth the top gently with a spatula. Bake at 170 C (340 F) for 30-35 minutes. The cake is done when the top is set and cracked, the edges are firm, but the center still has a very slight wobble when the pan is gently shaken — like a barely-set jelly. A toothpick inserted into the center should come out with a few moist crumbs, not wet batter and not clean. The torta caprese is meant to be slightly underbaked by classical standards — the dense, fudgy center is a feature, not an error.

Allow the cake to cool completely in the pan on a wire rack — at least 1 hour, ideally 2. It will firm up significantly as it cools. Do not try to unmold it warm. Once completely cool, unmold from the springform. The cake is deliberately flat, dense, and cracked on top — this is correct and beautiful. Just before serving, dust generously with icing sugar through a fine-mesh sieve for the classic snowfall effect. Serve at room temperature cut in wedges — a warm knife (run under hot water and wiped dry) makes the cleanest cuts.