Torta Caprese al Limone
This luscious Italian cake marries rich, buttery almonds with bright, refreshing lemon. It’s a great make-ahead dessert because the cake needs to stand overnight before serving.
Torta Caprese al Limone
Makes 1 (12-inch) cake
Recipe adapted from Michel’angelo Capri
Ingredients
3 cups plus 2 tablespoons (300 grams) blanched almond flour10.5 ounces (300 grams) white chocolate, broken into pieces1⅓ cups (300 grams) unsalted butter, room temperature1½ cups (300 grams) white granulated sugar8 large eggs (400 grams), separated4 large lemons (720 grams)1 tablespoon (15 grams) Limoncello (recipe follows)
Instructions
Preheat oven to 160°C (320°F). Spread almond flour on a rimmed baking sheet, and toast for 5 minutes.
Increase the oven temperature to 180°C (350°F).
Line a 12-inch (30cm) round cake pan with baking paper, or grease with butter or baking spray with flour.
Melt the white chocolate in a bowl sitting over a saucepan of simmering water, stirring occasionally.
Using a kitchen mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, mix the butter and sugar for approximately 7 minutes on medium speed until smooth and creamy.
Hand-whisk the egg whites until you have firm peaks (or, if preferred, use a handheld mixer). Stir the egg yolks with a spoon until smooth.
Pour the egg yolks into the butter and sugar mixture and set on high speed for approximately 3 minutes.
Pour the toasted almond flour into the butter, sugar and egg yolk mixture on medium speed for approximately 2 minutes.
Wash and zest the lemons. Take the bowl of melted white chocolate, and stir in the lemon zest and Limoncello before pouring into the kitchen mixer on medium speed for a further 4 minutes.
Then remove the bowl from the kitchen mixer and gently fold in the egg whites, stirring from the bottom up.
Pour the mixture into the cake tin and place it into the preheated oven for 50 minutes to 1 hour. Check with a cake tester. Once cooked, remove from the oven and then let the cake cool in the tin. Let the cake stand at least overnight before eating. Store in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
Limoncello
Makes about 2 liters
Recipe adapted from Michel’angelo Capri
A lemon liqueur, limoncello is traditionally made with lemons sourced directly from the Amalfi Coast. Considered a digestif (an alcoholic beverage served after a meal), Italians sip it icy cold from a tiny glass after a hearty lunch or dinner. Limoncello is also frequently used in baking. This recipe was passed down to Gianluca from his mother, and he makes it with lemons right from his garden.
Ingredients
10 large organic lemons (about 1,800 grams)4 cups plus 3 tablespoons (1 liter) pure grain alcohol (95% alcohol/190 proof)5 cups plus 3 tablespoons (1.25 liters) water4 cups (800 grams) granulated sugar
Instructions
With a vegetable peeler, peel lemons, avoiding the pith of the lemon and place the zest into a large jar.
Pour 1 liter of grain alcohol into the large jar with the lemon peel and seal with an airtight lid. Cover the outside of the jar so that it is shielded from the light (we covered it with a tea towel) and then place the jar in a dark space (e.g., a kitchen cupboard) for a minimum of 3 weeks.
After 3 weeks have passed, boil 1.25 liters of water in a large pot. Once boiling, add 800 grams of sugar and stir until it dissolves (approximately 2 minutes) to make a simple syrup. Remove and let cool. When the simple syrup is lukewarm, filter the alcohol and lemon infusion from the jar through a strainer into the pot of simple syrup (leaving the lemon zest behind).
Stir, let cool a little more, and then filter the limoncello through a strainer into another large pot before funneling into bottles. Store in a dry, cool, dark space for approximately 2 to 3 weeks before storing in the freezer. Serve icy cold and sip to aid digestion.
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