Torta Barozzi (Rich, Flourless Chocolate Cake)

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Torta Barozzi (also called Torta Nera) is an iconic Italian flourless chocolate cake from Vignola, Emilia Romagna. The original recipe from Pasticceria Gollini is top secret so this is our interpretation. It’s made with almonds, peanuts, lots of chocolate, rum and coffee and is absolutely delicious!

An overhead shot of an Italian flourless chocolate cake cut into slices.
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When it comes to Italian flourless chocolate cakes your first thought might be of Torta Caprese but Torta Barozzi is an incredible cake that’s just as famous in Italy.

Torta Barozzi was first created in 1886 by Eugenio Gollini, a famous pastry chef from Vignola, a town just outside of Modena. The fun part is that no one knows the famous recipe because it’s kept top secret. That being said, there is a common list of ingredients that most people use to make this cake and we’ve stuck to those to create ours.

Regardless of knowing the exact recipe for Torta Barozzi this is a cake that you have got to try! It’s dense, fudgy and crumbly with an intensely rich chocolate flavour and hints of coffee and rum.

It’s naturally gluten-free because it’s made with ground almonds and peanuts instead of flour and almost has a brownie-like texture, it’s absolutely divine!

Ingredients

See the photo below that shows you all the ingredients you need to make this incredible Italian chocolate cake plus some notes and substitutions.

An overhead shot of all the ingredients you need to make Torta Barozzi.

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Ingredient notes and substitutions

  • Unsalted peanuts – if you can only find salted peanuts you can give them a quick rinse by soaking them twice in cold water for a few seconds then dry them in a clean dish towel. Make sure they are
  • Blanched almonds – you can also use pre-ground almonds although I have not measured ground almonds in cups so you’ll need to go by weight if using them.
  • Dark chocolate – I used 70% cocoa, I wouldn’t go any lower than this but you can use a higher percentage if you like.
  • Coffee grounds – this is coffee that you would use in a moka pot of coffee machine not instant coffee. I recommend using 100% arabica coffee if you can.
  • Sugar – I use caster sugar for almost all of my baking because it’s finer but you can also use granulated here.
  • Butter – make sure to use unsalted.
  • Rum – we use dark rum for our cake I haven’t tried using white rum but I’m sure it would still work fine. I have used Frangelico and it is delicious!
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Step by step photos and instructions

  1. Melt the chocolate – put the butter and chocolate into a small saucepan and heat on a low heat until melted. Stir it often and make sure the heat isn’t too high, it shouldn’t bubble (photos 1 and 2).
Four photos in a collage showing how to melt butter and chocolate and whisk eggs and sugar together.
  1. Whisk eggs and sugar – put the egg yolks in a large mixing bowl. Remove 2 tablespoons of sugar and reserve that for the whites. Put the remaining sugar into the yolk and whisk with an electric whisk until thick and pale (photos 3 and 4).
  2. Blitz the nuts – put the almonds and peanuts in a food processor and blitz to fine crumbs (photo 5).
Four photos in a collage showing how to make Torta Barozzi.
  1. Mix the batter – add the nuts, cooled chocolate, coffee and rum to the egg yolk mixture. Add a small pinch of salt and fold everything together until thoroughly combined (photos 6-8).
  2. Whip egg whites – whisk the egg whites in a large bowl until frothy. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons of sugar and keep whisking until stiff peaks form (photo 9).
Four photos in a collage showing how to fold egg whites into cake batter.
  1. Mix everything together – fold the egg whites into the chocolate batter 1/3 at a time until fully incorporated. Pour the mixture into a prepared cake tin, smooth out the surface and bake for 30 minutes or until a skewer inserted comes out clean (photos 10-12).

Recipe Tips

  • Use clean beaters – after whisking the egg yolks and sugar make sure to thoroughly clean and dry your beaters. If any egg yolk touches the whites they won’t whip up well.
  • Don’t overwhip the egg whites – reserve 2 tablespoons of sugar to help stabilise the egg whites. Whisk them until frothy then add the sugar and whisk to glossy, stiff peaks. If your egg whites look lumpy to start to collapse the have been overwhipped.
  • Alcohol – If tried replacing the rum with Frangelico (hazelnut liqueur) and it’s delicious. You can replace it with a liqueur you like or leave it out altogether.
  • To check the cake is done – insert a skewer into the middle of the cake, if it comes out clean, it’s done.
  • It keeps well – this cake actually tastes even better the next day. It’s so rich and dense that it keeps well for 5-7 days.
A close up of a slice of Italian chocolate cake on a plate with a fork.

More Italian desserts to try

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Torta Barozzi (Flourless Italian Chocolate Cake)

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By Emily

Prep: 20 minutes
Cook: 35 minutes
Total: 55 minutes
Servings: 8 -10 servings
Torta Barozzi (also called Torta Nera) is an iconic Italian flourless chocolate cake from Vignola, Emilia Romagna. The original recipe from Pasticceria Gollini is top secret so this is our interpretation. It's made with almonds, peanuts, lots of chocolate, rum and coffee and is absolutely delicious!
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Equipment

  • Parchment paper
  • 9 inch springform cake tin
  • Electric whisk

Ingredients

  • 250g g (8.8oz) dark chocolate, 70% cocoa broken into pieces
  • 140 g (5oz) unsalted butter
  • 4 large eggs
  • 50 g (1/2 cup) almond
  • 50 g (1/2 heaping cup) peanuts
  • 15 g (2 tablespoons) ground coffee, (see notes)
  • 160 g (3/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon) sugar
  • 2 tablespoons dark rum

Instructions 

  • Preheat the oven to 160C/320F. Lightly grease a 9 inch cake tin with butter and line the bottom with parchment paper.
  • Put the chocolate and butter in a saucepan on a low heat and stir until melted. Set it aside to cool.
  • Add the almonds and peanuts to a food processor and blitz to a fine crumb. Be careful not to blitz them for too long or the oils will release for the nuts and it’ll start to form a paste. Set the nuts aside.
  • Separate the eggs and yolks and put the yolks in a large mixing bowl. Remove 2 tablespoons of sugar into a separate bowl (keep that for the whites) and add the remaining sugar to the egg yolks. Whisk them with an electric whisk until thick and pale.
  • Add the coffee grounds, ground nuts, rum and cooled chocolate into the mixture and fold it in until thoroughly combined.
  • Next, using clean beaters whisk the egg whites until frothy, add the remaining 2 tablespoons of sugar and whisk once more until stiff peaks form.
  • Fold the egg whites 1/3 at a time into the chocolate mixture.
  • Pour the cake batter into a prepared cake tin and spread out the top in an even layer.
  • Bake for 30 minutes or until a skewer inserted comes out clean. Remove from the oven and let it cool completely in the cake tin.
  • Once cool, remove from the tin and serve.

Notes

  • Ground coffee – this is ground coffee beans that you’d use in a moka pot or coffee machine. We used Lavazza 100% arabica, espresso coffee as it’s what we drink.
  • Use clean beaters – after whisking the egg yolks and sugar make sure to thoroughly clean and dry your beaters. If any egg yolk touches the whites they won’t whip up well.
  • Don’t overwhip the egg whites – reserve 2 tablespoons of sugar to help stabilise the egg whites. Whisk them until frothy then add the sugar and whisk to glossy, stiff peaks. If your egg whites look lumpy to start to collapse they have been overwhipped.
  • Alcohol – I have tried using Frangelico (hazelnut liqueur) instead of rum and it’s delicious. You can replace it with a liqueur you like or leave it out altogether.
  • To check the cake is done – insert a skewer into the middle of the cake, if it comes out clean, it’s done.
  • How long does it last – this cake actually tastes even better the next day. It’s so rich and dense that it keeps well for 5-7 days.

Helpful Info for All Recipes

  • I always use extra virgin olive oil in all of my recipes unless stated otherwise
  • When I use canned or jarred tomatoes of any kind I always use Cirio or Mutti brands for the best results and flavour.
  • All vegetables are medium sized unless stated otherwise
  • All recipes are tested and developed using a fan (convection) oven
  • Find out more about how nutrition is calculated.
  • Check out our must have Italian Pantry Staples.
  • You can also find all our Essential Kitchen Tools for Italian Cooking.

Nutrition

Calories: 349kcal | Carbohydrates: 30g | Protein: 9g | Fat: 21g | Saturated Fat: 9g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 8g | Trans Fat: 0.02g | Cholesterol: 226mg | Sodium: 41mg | Potassium: 296mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 22g | Vitamin A: 320IU | Calcium: 66mg | Iron: 4mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

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6 Comments

  1. Linda Lynnalida says:

    Help! What exactly do you mean by coffee grounds? I am thinking what is left in my coffee maker after it has brewed??? Pleae clarify.

    1. Emily says:

      Hi Linda, it’s ground coffee beans, so coffee you’d put into a moka pot or coffee machine (dry and unused). I have tried this with coffee grounds that have been used (wet) which is totally fine to do but the flavour isn’t as strong. I’ll update the recipe to clarify ๐Ÿ™‚

  2. Anne-Louise says:

    What can use instead of peanuts. I anm sensitive to them.

    1. Emily says:

      Hi Anne-Louise, you can swap them for more almonds ๐Ÿ™‚

  3. Mimi Rippee says:

    This cake sounds incredible! Love that first photo. I dropped a pumpkin pie once.

    1. Emily says:

      Oh noo, it’s devastating when it happens. Thanks so much Mimi, the cake is really delicious!