ready for Christmas? La Torta Italiana by Linda Collister

In a moment in which I strongly desired cookbooks, I bought the one  by Linda Collister Divine Chocolate Cookbook, MY book. It's all brown and gold as the chocolate and nuts: utmost union of love between two of the most libidinous ingredients in the sweets as well generally in food. My attention has been immediately kept by a simple cake, a version of the classic Italian chocolate and nut dessert. A rich dessert wonderful to have ready in the fridge at Christmas time, for our even unexpected guests...in order to keep their mouths busy!

Ingredients for about 12:

• 100g blanched hazelnuts
• 100g blanched almonds
• 200g plain crisp butter cookies
• 200g good dark chocolate (57%)
• 2 large free range eggs at room temperature
• 2 large free range egg yolks at r.t.
• 6 tbs caster sugar
• 150g unsalted butter
• good cocoa powder for dusting

1. Toast the hazelnuts and almonds at 200° for about 5/7 minutes until lightly browned. Leave to cool. Chop the nuts coarsely with a large knife. Put the biscuits into a food processor and reduce to coarse crumbs.

2. Melt gently the chocolate into a heatproof bowl (the water must not touch the base of the bowl or start to boil). Remove the bowl from the heat and leave to cool until needed. Put the eggs and the egg yolks into the bowl of a food mixer. Whisk until combined then add sugar and whisk vigourosly for about 5 minutes until the mixture becomes really pale and mousse-like.

3. Heat the butter in a small pan until hot and bubbling. Pour the very hot butter onto the eggs mixture in astream while still whisking at full speed. Whisk the melted chocolate. Remove the bowl from the mixer and add the nuts and the biscuits stirring with a metal spoon. Turn the mixture into the greased and lined pan and spread evenly. Bake for about 30' at 180°. Cover with plastic film and chill for at last 3 hours, preferably overnight before serving. But it will be impossibile to resist. 

When ready to serve, spred the top with cocoa powder. 

Store well covered in the fridge and eat within 3 days.