This recipe started out life on America’s Test Kitchen’s site, but then I tinkered with it to make a low carb version.
Torte Caprese
Serves 12 // 297 calories, 24g fat, 8g protein, 7g net carbs
12 tablespoons (6 oz.) unsalted Kerrygold butter, cut into 12 pieces
6 ounces Scharffen Berger 70% cacao bittersweet chocolate, roughly chopped
1 teaspoon Madagascar vanilla extract
4 large organic eggs, separated and room temperature
3/4 cup (5.25 oz.) powdered-style Swerve sweetener
2 cups (7 oz.) Bob’s Red Mill super fine almond flour
2 tablespoons Rapunzel organic cocoa powder
½ teaspoon sea salt
Swerve confectioners-style sweetener (optional)
To serve: heavy cream, vanilla extract, orange oil flavoring
Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 325 degrees. Lightly spray a 9-inch springform pan with vegetable oil spray (I use coconut spray).
Microwave butter and chopped chocolate in medium bowl at 50 percent power, stirring every 30 seconds, until melted, 1½ to 2 minutes. Stir in vanilla and set aside.
Now, a dance between the mixer and another bowl begins…this process is what adds a modest lift to this cake, which has no other leavening.
Using stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, whip egg whites on medium-low speed until foamy, about 1 minute.
Increase speed to medium-high and continue to whip, slowly adding ½ cup granulated sweetener, until whites are glossy and thick and hold stiff peaks, about 4 minutes longer. Do not over-whip. Transfer whites to a large bowl.
Add egg yolks and remaining ½ cup granulated sweetener to now-empty mixer bowl and whip on medium-high speed until thick and pale yellow, about 3 minutes, scraping down bowl as necessary.
Add chocolate-butter-vanilla to mixer bowl and mix on medium speed until incorporated, about 15 seconds. Add almond flour, cocoa, and salt and mix until incorporated, about 30 seconds.
Remove bowl from mixer and stir few times with large rubber spatula, scraping bottom of bowl to ensure almond flour is fully incorporated.
Add one-third of whipped whites to bowl, return bowl to mixer, and mix on medium speed until no streaks of white remain, about 30 seconds, scraping down bowl halfway through mixing.
Transfer batter to bowl with remaining whites. Using large rubber spatula, gently fold whites into batter until no streaks of white remain.
Pour batter into prepared pan, smooth top with spatula, and place pan on rimmed baking sheet.
Bake until toothpick inserted in center comes out with a few moist crumbs attached, about 50 minutes, rotating pan halfway through baking. Let cake cool—in the pan—on a wire rack for 20 minutes. Release and remove side of pan (leave on base) and let cake cool completely, about 2 hours. (Cake can be wrapped in plastic wrap and stored at room temperature for up to 3 days.)
If refrigerated before serving, cake will be more fudge-like…mmmm!
Dust top of cake with confectioners’ sugar, if using. Using offset spatula, transfer cake to serving platter. Cut into wedges and serve with dollops of whipped cream, flavored with a bit of vanilla extract and orange oil flavoring.