Torta di Natale con Pinoli (Christmas Cake with Pine Nuts)
Torta di Natale con Pinoli (Christmas Cake with Pine Nuts) is a traditional Italian recipe for a classic Christmas cake of a hazelnut and amaretti biscuit base with chocolate and sugar that's bound with eggs and flour and which contains pine nuts in the mix. The full recipe is presented here and I hope you enjoy this classic Italian version of: Christmas Cake with Pine Nuts (Torta di Natale con Pinoli).
(click this button to prevent the screen from sleeping so Cook Mode is 'ON')
Ingredients:
50g amaretti biscuits, crushed
300g shelled hazelnuts
250g good quality dark chocolate (at least 70% cocoa solids)
200g light muscovado sugar
4 tbsp brandy
freshly-grated zest of 1 large orange
juice of 1 orange
100g pine nuts, lightly toasted
6 large free range eggs, separated
50g self-raising flour
olive oil for greasing
Method:
Grease a deep, 24cm diameter springform cake tin with the olive oil. Turn the crushed amaretti biscuits into the tin then swirl around until the sides and base are evenly coated then invert the tin over a bowl to remove any excess biscuit crumbs.
Combine the hazelnuts and chocolate in a food processor. Pulse until the mixture is grainy (but not chopped too fine). Turn this mixture into the bowl with the amaretti crumbs then mix in the sugar, brandy, orange zest , orange juice and pine nuts. Stir well to combine then add the egg yolks, mixing well to combine.
Sift over the flour, folding gently to mix into the batter. Place the egg whites in a clean and dry bowl with a pinch of salt. Whisk until stiff but not dry then gently fold this into the nut and chocolate mix.
Turn the resultant batter into the prepared cake tin. Transfer to an oven pre-heated to 180°C and bake for about 60 minutes, or until a wooden skewer inserted into the centre emerges cleanly.
Remove from the oven and allow to rest in the tin for 5 minutes. Place on a wire rack then carefully loosen the sides of the tin and take off. Allow to cool for 60 minutes before carefully removing the base of the tin.
This should be eaten slightly warm, so that the chocolate is slightly melted.
)
