Torta Caprese Bianca al Limone

Traveling is a great source of renewal and inspiration. If it was possible, I would spend my days traveling and exploring new cultures and the flavors they cherish the most.

Italy is one of my favorite destinations. The food culture there, like the architecture, the nature and the people is vibrant, colorful, and simply amazing. I can never tire of the sights and smells of Italy.

Few weeks ago, I went on a short trip to Naples, Capri and the Amalfi Coast. What a stunner of a region it is!

Capri, an island off the coast of Naples, is a treasure trove of breathtaking sights and enchanting citrus scents. I am no Italy expert, but if you ever plan on visiting this Mediterranean country, Capri should rank pretty high on your list of to visit regions.

Capri is famous for its Torta Caprese, which is an almond-based cake with a moist and a crumbly texture. It dates back to the start of the 20th century, and if you read about its origins you will come across various stories. Irrespective of how it started, the cake is now widely consumed by tourists in Capri and the South of Italy be it in its chocolate (cioccolota) or lemon (limone) variations. Both versions have chocolate but the bianca or white version uses white chocolate.  You can't go with either variation of this delicate almond-based cake, but the lemon flavor won my vote.

If I managed to spike your interest in this famous Italian dessert and you want to bring the bright flavors of Capri to your home, this is what you need to do.  (Note, recipe adapted from here).

Ingredients:

• 165 g almond flour (I made mine. I soaked the almonds in hot water for few minutes, then in cold water, spread them over a towel to dry then processed them)
• 100 g fine sugar
• 40 g corn flour
• 3 g baking powder
• 130 g grated white chocolate
• zest of 2 organic and unwaxed lemons 
• 30 g olive oil
• 35 g melted butter
• 4 eggs at room temperature
• 2 tbsp limoncello 
• dash of salt

Method:

In a bowl, mix the almond flour with the sugar, chocolate, salt, baking powder, lemon zest and corn flour.

In another bowl combine the eggs with the limoncello (you can substitute with the same amount of lemon juice) and beat until the batter doubles in volume and becomes pale. Fold in gently the butter and the oil then add the mixture to the flour and mix until well combined.

Pour the batter into a greased pan, covered with parchment paper, and bake for about 30 to 40 minutes in a preheated oven (175C).

Keep in mind that the baking time will vary from one oven to another, the pan size and material. You want the cake to be fully baked but not dry and with a nice brown color. Inset a toothpick in the center of the cake and if it comes out clean, your cake is done. 

The cake batter is rather liquid and during baking the edges may cook faster than the center. To have an even bake, you can use baking strips. Azlin Bloor made this cake and explains how you can prepare homemade baking strips. Her recipe yields a cake with a different texture as the amount of ingredients and method are somewhat different. Nonetheless, both recipes will deliver a scrumptious cake! 

Once baked, leave the cake to cool almost completely before removing it from the pan, then put on a a wire rack to cool completely.

You can serve the cake as it is, but  you can decorate with a dusting of powdered sugar and few fresh fruits to elevate its looks.

All you have to do now is to serve yourself a slice of this torta and enjoy the flavors of sunny Southern Italy.

Rhubarb and Strawberry Pie with Coconut Crumble Topping

As rhubarb has a short seasonal availability and it's not the easiest ingredient to find in Madrid, so whenever it's around, I incorporate it in all sort of recipes. Today's pie is an example of such recipes.
  
Strawberry and rhubarb are a beautiful flavor combination, but  add coconut to the mix and you get something really special.  It´s the first time I try this combination and it surely won´t be the last. It's such a winning combo! Trust me on that, try it and you won't be disappointed. 

This rhubarb and strawberry pie has a flaky yet crunchy crust, a sweet and soft filling with a crumbly coconut topping. Did I convince you? If so, these are the steps you need to make this lovely pie.

For the crust you need: (22 cm pan)

• 200 g pastry flour
• 115 g butter
• 50 g sugar
• 35 to 45 ml vodka or kirsch
• dash of salt 

In the food processor, mix flour, sugar and salt, pulse for few seconds to combine, add the butter and pulse a few times to get a sandy mixture. Slowly add the vodka or kirsch; one tablespoon at first then one teaspoon at a time. Each flour has a different absorption capacity, so be careful to avoid having a soggy dough.

Once the dough forms a ball, drop the mixture on the working surface and gather it. Do not over work the dough. Wrap in plastic and let the dough rest in the fridge for at least an hour or overnight.

Once you´re ready to bake, flatten and roll the dough on a floured surface to about half a cm thick and place it in the pie dish. Prick the dough with a fork, cover with baking paper, put some weight over it (beans, rice or ceramic pearls) and blind bake for 10 to 15 min in a preheated oven (180 C). 

Set aside to cool.

For the filling:

• 3 tbsp of raspberry and rhubarb jam (or any strawberry jam)
• 125g sliced strawberies
• 125g sliced rhubarb
• 50 g sugar (or adjust to your liking)
• 1 tbsp corn flour
• seeds of half a vanilla bean 
• 1/2 tsp orange zest
• pinch of salt

Mix all ingredients but the jam and leave to macerate for at least 20 minutes. 

For the streusel topping:

• 25 g cold butter cut into small cubes
• 25 g sugar
• 50 g pastry or all purpose flour
• dash of salt
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 50 g desiccated coconut                                                                                                                  

Combine the sugar, flour, salt and butter using a dough blender or your fingertips. Work quickly as you don´t want to melt the butter. Once you have a sandy mixture add the coconut flakes and vanilla and mix to combine.

Assembly:

Spread the jam over the baked and cooled dough. Add the strawberry and rhubarb mixture (discard the excess liquid) then evenly sprinkle the streusel on top. You can add some extra shaved coconut if you wish.

Bake in a preheated oven (180 C) until the top is golden brown. Leave to cool for at least 20 minutes before serving.

Sprinkle some powdered sugar for an extra nice touch, although not necessary. Serve while still  warm with vanilla ice cream or creme fraiche, some jam and slices of fresh strawberries. 

The combination of these flavors is spot on and will satisfy any pie lover.