LEMON CAPRESE CAKE - ITALIAN FLOURLESS CHOCOLATE CAKE
Caprese Cake is one of the most loved traditional Italian Cake originated from the beautiful Capri Island. There are two versions of this cake: this is the lemon one made with white chocolate, but you can find on my website the Classic Chocolate recipe too!It's gluten-free - made with almond flour instead of wheat flour and without baking powder too - so it's also perfect if you're celiac or following a gluten-free diet.Its texture is incredibly moist, fudgy and rich inside, with slightly crispy edges.The traditional Caprese Cake's ingredients are always 5: almond flour, sugar, chocolate, butter and eggs. In this Lemon version the addition of lemon zest and a hint of lemon juice turns this cake into a refreshing but still rich and fudgy delight perfect in Summer season!
105 g(8 tbsp)caster sugaror granulated white sugar
The zest from 1 large or 2 small lemons
185 g (2 cups)almond flour
12 g (1 tbsp)lemon juice
Powdered sugar for dusting
Instructions
In a mediun size heat-proof bowl place chopped white chocolate, butter and melt over bain marie until melted. Pay attention to avoid overheating white chocolate or it could lump: remove it from bain marie when still some small chocolate pieces that will melt thanks to the residual heat.
In a large bowl place 3 egg whites and start whipping until white foamy.
Add in 3-4 times 40 g (3 tbsp) of caster sugar and keep on mixing the egg whites at high speed until medium-stiff peaks form. Set aside.
In a large bowl place 3 egg yolks, 65 g (5 tbsp) caster sugar, the lemons zest and mix with a hand mixer until become thick and pale (at least 4-5 minutes).
Incorporate the melted chocolate mix and mix until well combined without overmixing.
Add lemon juice and almond flour folding gently with a spatula until well combined (you get a pretty thick batter).
Incorporate with a spatula 1/3 of egg whites mix into yolk mix to soften it. Then gently fold the remaining egg whites mix: be gentle to not deflat the mix.
Prepare the mold: grease, dust with flour and line with parchment paper on the bottom a conic 18-20cm (7-8inch) aluminium cake pan. You can use a 18 cm (7 inch) springform pan instead.
Pour the batter in the prepared pan and bake in static oven (no fan, upper+lower heat) at 180°C-350°F for 30 minutes. The cake is ready when the center is still moist: a toothpick comes out moist and NOT dry and completely clean!
Cool down at room temperature into the pan for at least 30 minutes. The cake is fragile, don't unmold when still hot or you can break it.
Unmold the cake: if you used a conic pan, the smaller side should be the top.