Torta al cioccolato

This is a chocolate cake for dark chocolate lovers. The flavor is intense and strong so if you prefer milk chocolate or white chocolate, this is definitely not the cake for you. The consistency is similar to the brownies so, as for the brownies, you need to figure out the right baking time to avoid overcooking the cake and ruining its texture. The cake can be prepared ahead of time like the night before if you’re serving it for lunch or even few hours earlier. I like to serve it cut in small square pieces but if you do so cut it just before serving it. You can sprinkle the cake with unsweetened cocoa powder if you want to enhance the dark chocolate experience or sprinkle it with powdered sugar to if you prefer a sweeter taste.

I also prepare this cake for birthdays. I make a double dose and I bake it in a rectangular baking pan for about 20 minutes. The surface is rough and it hardens when at room temperature so to decorate it I use sugar candies and a little bit of nutella to stick them to the surface. You can also use frosting as well.

Ingredients

7 oz./ 200 g. good quality 70% cocoa dark chocolate bar
7 oz/ 200 g./ 1 cup sugar
200 g./ 1 cup unsalted butter
1/2 scant cup flour
4 eggs at room temperature

Instructions

1. Heat the oven to 350° and cover a 9-Inch springform pan with parchment paper.
2. Break the chocolate in small pieces and put it into a heatproof bowl. I use a steel one. Place it over a pan of simmering water (a bain marie), add 1 or 2 Tablespoon of water and let the chocolate melt, stirring occasionally.
3. When the chocolate is almost melted, add the butter cut in cubes and the sugar. Stir the chocolate mixture until completely melted and well combined. Let it sit until the chocolate reach room temperature.
4. While the chocolate is melting divide the eggs and beat the egg whites until stiff peaks form. Set aside in the refrigerator.
5. Using a hand blender, add one egg yolk at the time to the chocolate mixture. Lastly add the sieved flour but don’t overmix it.
6. Bake the cake for about 15-20 minutes depending on your oven. To check if it’s ready insert a toothpick and if it comes out a little bit wet, just turn the oven off and let the cake rest for 2-3 minutes in the oven.