Grandfather’s Cake (Torta del Nonno)
Category: Desserts
Servings: 8
Ingredients
| Ingredient | Quantity |
|---|---|
| Unsweetened cocoa powder | 30g |
| All-purpose flour | 300g |
| Butter | 170g |
| Sugar | 150g |
| Egg yolks | 30g |
| Whole eggs | 55g |
| Whole milk | 250g |
| Extra egg yolks | 45g |
| Extra sugar | 70g |
| Cornstarch (maizena) | 10g |
| Dark chocolate | 100g |
| Egg whites | As needed |
| Sliced almonds | 20g |
Instructions
Start by preparing the base for the Grandfatherโs Cake, known as Torta del Nonno. The first step is to create the cocoa shortcrust pastry. In a large mixing bowl, combine the all-purpose flour with the cold butter, cut into small cubes. Use your fingers or a pastry cutter to work the butter into the flour until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs or sand.
Once you have the sandy texture, sift in the unsweetened cocoa powder to give the pastry its distinctive chocolate flavor. Then, add the sugar and continue mixing until the ingredients are well incorporated. Transfer the mixture onto a flat surface, such as a clean countertop, and gather it into a dough. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and set it aside in the refrigerator to chill for about 30 minutes.
While the pastry chills, prepare the creamy chocolate filling. Chop the dark chocolate into small pieces. In a saucepan, whisk together the milk, egg yolks, sugar, and cornstarch. Place the saucepan over medium heat and whisk continuously until the mixture begins to thicken and reaches a custard-like consistency.
Once the custard has thickened, remove it from the heat and stir in the chopped dark chocolate. Continue stirring until the chocolate melts completely, leaving a smooth and glossy filling. Transfer the mixture into a bowl, cover it with plastic wrap directly on the surface to prevent a skin from forming, and let it cool for a bit.
After 30 minutes, remove the dough from the refrigerator. Unwrap the dough and divide it into two equal portions. Roll out the first half of the dough on a lightly floured surface to about 3mm thickness. Lightly grease a 24cm round tart pan and gently press the dough into the base, making sure it fits snugly against the edges and forms a raised border to hold the filling. If necessary, trim any excess dough.
Prick the base of the dough with a fork to prevent it from puffing up during baking. Next, roll out the second half of the dough to the same thickness and place it over the cooled chocolate filling, carefully pressing the edges to seal the tart. To give the cake a beautiful golden finish, lightly beat the egg white and brush it over the top crust of the tart.
Sprinkle the sliced almonds over the surface of the tart to add a nice crunch and a bit of texture to the cake. Preheat the oven to 180ยฐC (350ยฐF) in a static (non-convection) setting. Place the tart in the oven and bake for about 40 minutes or until the crust is golden brown and the filling is set.
Once the cake has finished baking, remove it from the oven and allow it to cool completely in the pan. After cooling, gently remove the cake from the pan, slice it, and serve this indulgent Torta del Nonnoโa delightful, rich dessert perfect for any occasion.
Enjoy this family-favorite cake, which is bound to be a hit with everyone who tries it, offering a combination of smooth chocolate filling, buttery shortcrust, and crunchy almond topping.
