It is December 9th and I am finally getting around to planning my family Christmas Day meal. Although we all pitch in to feed the extended family Christmas Day lunch, I like to make family favourites and traditional Italian recipes! This year we are revisiting a childhood Christmas Day lunch with antipasti, homemade ravioli, meats, salads, and dessert!
With more and more guests adopting a gluten-free diet for different reasons, I love if I can make a dish that satisfies both with a naturally gluten-free dish–this dessert is just that! No one will feel cheated as it has always been prepared with almond flour and no wheat flour. On its own or with the chocolate, pomegranate glaze it is a delicious dessert that might just become a Christmas tradition!
For more gluten-free recipes, check out our Online Italian Cooking school.
Enjoy!
See you in the kitchen! Natalina
Torta Caprese with chocolate, pomegranate glaze
Ingredients
- ¾ cups of unsalted butter plus more for the pan
- 1 ¾ cups almond flour
- 6 oz. bittersweet chocolate
- 4 large eggs room temperature
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- Pinch of salt
Glaze ingredients:
- 2 tbsp. unsalted butter
- 2 oz semi sweet (Modica) chocolate
- ½ cup powdered sugar sifted
- ¼ cup reduced pomegranate juice*
- 1 cup of pomegranate kernels for garnish
Instructions
- *To reduce pomegranate juice, take ½ cup of pure pomegranate juice and bring to a boil in a small pot. Reduce to simmer and simmer until a thick, syrupy consistency is obtained. Reduce to half. Cool.
- Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Butter a 10” 0r 25 cm spring form pan or tart pan with removable bottom. Place a piece of parchment paper cut to size in the bottom of the pan and butter.
- Melt butter and allow to cool completely. Meanwhile, in a food processor process the chocolate until finely ground. Add the almond flour and process to mix.
- Separate the eggs and beat the yolks and sugar until thick and pale in colour. Add the butter and the chocolate, almond mixture and beat just until combined.
- In a separate bowl beat the egg whites with a pinch of salt until stiff peaks form.
- Whisk a ¼ of the egg whites into the batter by hand and fold the remaining egg whites into the batter.
- Spread evenly in the prepared pan. Tap the pan on the counter to remove air holes.
- Bake in the middle rack until the cake pulls away from the sides about 50 minutes to 1 hour and when a toothpick is inserted in the centre there is no wet batter just moist crumbs.
- Cool the cake completely on a rack. Run a sharp knife around the edge to loosen. Remove the ring.
- Meanwhile, make the glaze. Melt the 2 tablespoons of butter and (Modica) chocolate in a small saucepan over medium heat. Stir occasionally. Add the sifted powdered sugar and whisk while adding the reduced pomegranate juice. Only add enough juice to desired consistency. Whisk until smooth and remove from heat. Cool completely.
- To serve, place the cake on a serving plate by removing the bottom cake pan and peeling away the parchment. Drizzle the chocolate glaze on the cake. (reheat the glaze slightly if needed to make the glaze pourable) Arrange the pomegranate kernels on top as desired.
- Serves 8-10 Gluten free
