Torta tenerina al caffè

The Tenerina Coffee Cake is a variation of the traditional Tenerina Cake, which is a typical dessert from Ferrara in Italy. The main feature of this cake is its soft and moist interior. Adding coffee intensifies the chocolate flavor and gives the dessert a special aromatic note. Here is the recipe with an Italian touch at its heart:

Ingredients

• 200g of dark chocolate
• 100g of sugar
• 50g of butter
• 4 eggs
• 30ml of strong espresso coffee
• 1 tablespoon of flour (or potato starch for a lighter variant)
• A pinch of salt
• Powdered sugar (optional for decoration)

Preparation

1. Preheat the oven to 180 °C.
2. Melt the dark chocolate with the butter and espresso coffee in a double boiler until smooth. Allow to cool.
3. Separate the yolks from the whites. Whip the whites to firm peaks with a pinch of salt.
4. Combine the sugar with the yolks and beat them until they are frothy and light in color.
5. Gently fold the melted chocolate into the yolk and sugar mixture.
6. Add the sifted flour and mix to avoid lumps.
7. Finally, fold in the whipped whites delicately, with movements from top to bottom to avoid deflating them.
8. Pour the mixture into a previously buttered and floured cake pan.
9. Bake the cake in the oven for about 20-25 minutes. The characteristic of the Tenerina is that the center remains a bit moist.
10. Remove from the oven and allow to cool completely before unmolding.
11. If desired, sprinkle the surface with powdered sugar before serving.

Curiosity

Although traditional Tenerina Cake does not contain coffee, the addition of this beverage goes very well with chocolate and gives a richer and deeper taste. Moreover, the classic version of this dessert is yeast-free, thus maintaining its typical moist and dense texture. In some modern variations, you can find the use of cocoa instead of chocolate for a lighter version or the addition of spices such as cinnamon for an aromatic twist.