Say Capri Island in the Gulf of Naples and images might come to mind of its scenic coast, lined by the luxurious villas owned by Hollywood stars and members of the international jet set. In my case though, as a chocolate fan, what comes to mind is torta caprese, or Capri Cake; the Italian (and in my opinion, better) answer to the better known brownie. What I love about the recipe is that the recipe is easy to remember and it’s a relatively easy tea-time treat to prepare. Since there’s no flour involved, this fudgy chocolate cake is also suitable for people with gluten intolerance. Like its American counterpart, torta caprese is a rich cake, so you might want to go jogging after a slice. Or two.

Serves 8

100g dark chocolate (70 percent cocoa)

100g caster sugar

100g butter, softened, with extra for brushing

2 eggs

100g almond flour

10g cocoa powder, with extra for coating

Pinch of salt, optional

Icing sugar, to taste

* Break chocolate in small pieces and transfer into a glass, ceramic or steel bowl. Place over a small pot of simmering water. This technique is called double boiling, or au bain marie, in French.
* Once chocolate melts, cool slightly for a few minutes at room temperature.
* Meanwhile, separate egg yolk and egg whites.
* Beat butter with sugar until pale and creamy. Incorporate yolks into butter/sugar mixture and beat again. Pour in slightly cooled chocolate and amalgamate.
* Whisk egg whites until stiff and incorporate into batter, in several batches, folding delicately using spatula, from the bottom of the bowl moving upwards.
* Finally, mix almond flour, cocoa powder and salt, if using. Fold gently into batter with the same technique as the egg whites.
* Brush a 20-to-22-cm round cake tin with butter and coat with cocoa powder. Gently tap to remove excess.
* Transfer cake batter into tin and spread an even layer.
* Bake at 160°C (in convection oven, if possible) for 25 to 30 minutes until the surface is dry and slightly springy to the touch.
* Check center using a bamboo stick or a toothpick. It should be slightly humid but not wet.
* Leave to cool in tray. Transfer to serving plate and dust generously with icing sugar.
* Slice into portions and serve at room temperature as is or with vanilla ice cream.

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