_(cropped).jpg) | |
| Alternative names | Torta di mandorle,torta alle mandorle |
|---|---|
| Type | Flourless chocolate cake |
| Place of origin | Italy |
| Region or state | Capri,Gulf of Naples |
| Main ingredients | Almonds, butter, chocolate, eggs, salt, sugar |
Torta caprese is aflourless chocolate cake made withalmonds. It usually contains butter, eggs, salt, and sugar, producing a dense, dark cake.
The origins oftorta caprese is unclear, and have become the subject of culinary legends, many featuring a forgetful or distracted baker inventing the cake by accident. Today, it is among the most famous dishes inNeapolitan cuisine. In the island ofCapri and broaderCampania region, bothtorta caprese made at home and purchased frompasticceria ('pastry shop') are popular.
Preparations oftorta caprese are simple but vary widely, sometimes including flavours such asbitter orange and the liqueurStrega. In Italy the cake is usually topped with designs made using powdered sugar, often taking the form of words, thefaraglioni di Capri, or an outline of a crocheteddoily. A variation namedtorta anacaprese uses white chocolate instead of dark and adds Capri lemon.
.jpg)
Chocolate cakes appear infrequently inItalian cuisine despite Italian chocolates being acclaimed—torta caprese is an exception. There is little historical record of its creation,[1] and it does not appear in several major 20th-century Italian cookbooks, includingAda Boni'sIl talismano della felicità (1929) andFernanda Gosetti's [it]I dolci della cucina regionale italiana (1993),[2][3][a] creating origins so unclear the cake cannot confidently be said to have been invented in Italy. This has given rise to severallegendary creation stories.[1]
On Capri, there are two traditional accounts. In the first, two Austrian women who lived in the Strandpension house in the Capri neighborhood ofMarina Piccola created the cake sometime between 1930 and 1950. The responsible chef was attempting to make a different cake and forgot to add flour, creatinguno dei pasticci più fortunati della storia ('one of history's most fortunate mistakes'). The other account credits Capocchiella, a descendant of Spanish painter Esteban Blasco in 1950. In this account, Capocchiella was called in at dawn as a replacementsous-chef, where, tired, he mistookcocoa powder for flour while making an almond cake. After putting the cake in the oven and falling asleep, he woke to the smell of chocolate. The cake was a success, and when customers inquired about its name, Capocchiella sheepishly gave "torta caprese".[4][b]
Another account, described by a Capri chef as unknown on the island, is another case of a cook creating the cake by forgetting to add flour. In this version, the cake was ordered by American gangsters, and the chef, named Carmine del Fiore, made the mistake because of his nerves.[4] The magazineLa Cucina Italiana identifies this as the most widely accepted account.[5] Several sources specify details of this event, placing it in the 1920s and identifying the gangster ordering the cake asAl Capone.[5][2] Another legend dates to much earlier, describing a request forSachertorte byMaria Carolina of Austria (1752–1814), the wife of the King of Naples. The chefs, who did not know the recipe, substituted wheat flour for almond. This story is impossible, as Sachertorte was invented in 1832.[6]
Since the cake has been made in Capri, it has spread internationally and been associated with the island through multiple avenues: tourists taking it home, Caprese chefs emigrating and starting restaurants, and a media fixation on the island due to its fashionable image.[4]
The primary ingredients oftorta caprese are almonds (ground or flour), butter, dark chocolate, eggs, and sugar. It does not contain wheat flour[7][8] orleavening agents; as a result it is considered a "true torte". Almonds are a common ingredient in Campanian cuisine,[9] and for this ingredient the cake is sometimes known astorta di mandorle ('almond cake').[10][c]Torta caprese is made by mixing egg yolks and sugar, and then combining this with the ground almonds, butter and dark chocolate. In a final step, a meringue is folded in, giving the baked cake a dense, brownie-like interior.[7] The final cake has a very dark color,[6] is thin, and is surrounded by a fragile crust.[7] It is relatively simple to make.[12]
Torta caprese is often served with fresh fruit, particularly berries, or with vanilla ice cream in restaurants.[8] Other accompaniments include whipped cream.[12] Its flavours continue to develop as the cake is rested.[12][13] Usually, the cake is dusted withpowdered sugar,[8] which is sometimes shaped into decorative designs. These include an image of Capri with a single palm tree,[1] the wordscaprese orCapri, or thefaraglioni di Capri, a set ofsea stacks off the island's shore.[10] Traditionally a design has been imparted by placing a crocheteddoily atop the cake and dusting powdered sugar over it.[9]
The almonds givetorta caprese a depth of flavour, but do not necessarily make it taste nutty.[1] Cooking personalitySilvia Colloca has describedtorta caprese as being "as rich and indulgent as it looks".[14]
Torta caprese is similar to otherflourless chocolate cakes, including thetorta tenerina [it] of theFerrara region.[7] Such cakes are generally dense, as without flour to trap air, it is pointless to include leavening agents.Torta caprese is lighter than most of these cakes, however, as the almond meal breaks the interior into a looser crumb. As is typical for a flourless chocolate cake, the egg yolks and whites are incorporated separately to reduce the density. Whisking egg yolks with sugar allows the granules to absorb moisture; as this spreads throughout the batter, it changes the cake's texture and helps stabilise the meringue.[12]
There is no standard recipe fortorta caprese and preparations vary widely.[15] Some Italian recipes swap butter for olive oil,[14] while others add ingredients such asessential oils ofbitter orange,[16] the Italian liqueurStrega, or a small amount of flour.[1]
.jpg)
A version fromAnacapri, a region in the north of the island, substitutes white chocolate shavings for dark chocolate and adds lemon. It is known astorta anacaprese and has an almost yellow colour.[17]Torta caprese al limone adds only lemon, using the essential oils taken from the skin of Capri lemons;[18] this is argued by some cooks to be the "true torte of the island".[19]Caprese sbagliata is beige-coloured and substitutes white for dark chocolate and unpeeled almonds for peeled. It was named after the cocktailnegroni sbagliato, which uses sparkling wine in place of the gin used in classic negronis.[17]
In the 1950s, a "dry" version oftorta caprese was created in the beachside Capri neighbourhood ofMarina Piccola in an effort to create a product that would last longer in the sun. Although it later lost popularity, a product for the same purpose was developed and gained popularity in the 2020s on Capri, which mountedtorta caprese on a popsicle stick. It is sold in both the original andanacaprese versions.[20]
In Capri,torta caprese is popular among visitors and residents alike,[17] and is eaten both as dessert and breakfast.[21][22] The flavour has shifted on the island over the years, moving from emphasizing almond to chocolate, to the chagrin of purists who hold that chocolate should not dominate.[15]
As with Italy more broadly,[23] inCampania desserts are generally purchased from shops rather than made at home.[10]Torta caprese is an exception to this; although they are sold in manypasticceria ('pastry shop') throughout the region,[1][10] many home cooks make the cake.Babà andtorta caprese are considered the signature cakes of the Neapolitanpasticceria. Food writer Arthur Schwartz described the dessert in 1998 as very commercialized in Campania, making it difficult "to find a great example".[10] In Capresepasticcerie they are sold by the slice and served on napkins; as a result people on the island are often seen outside eating the cake while walking.[24]
On Capri, the dark chocolate version oftorta caprese was long the only variety. In more recent years theanacaprese version has become popular and in the 21st centurycaprese sbagliata was created. In the 2020s, it increased in popularity in homes and some restaurants,[15][17] and the originaltorta caprese flavour was developed into ice creams,panettone, andtiramisu (caprimisù).[25][26][27]
Torta caprese is one of the most famous desserts ofNeapolitan cuisine worldwide.[9] The cake is popular in Italy and is also served in restaurants in the United States.[5][6] In the 21st century,torta caprese gained popularity on social media, where it was shared as a gluten-free alternative to chocolate cake.[7]
Media related toTorta caprese at Wikimedia Commons
