Queen Cake

This cappuccino cake brings the best of both worlds together - a simple chocolate torte and cappuccino custard. What could be better than coffee and chocolate hitting your taste buds together? This cappuccino cake gets it's coffee flavor from Instant Espresso.

The cake is a chocolate torte (easy!) - there is zero flour. And cappuccino part, which is the topping is a coffee zabaglione. Gotcha confused? Zabaglione is an Italian custard. You can pour it on the cake warm (my favorite) OR you can chill the custard and add it on top later. If the cappuccino custard is chilled, it's OK tasting. I like it hot. There's something about warm cappuccino flavor on a chocolate cake.
 
YIELD:One 9 inch cake

Ingredients

* 6 squares of semi-sweet baking chocolate

* 6 eggs separated

* 3 egg yolks

* 1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon of butter

* 1/2 cup of almonds

* 1 1/4 cups of sugar

* 1/3 cup espresso - follow directions on Instant Espresso jar

Ingredients for Cappuccino Zabaglione (the coffee flavored custard sauce):

* 3 egg yolks

* remainder of the sugar

Procedure
* Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

* Coat a spring pan ( I use 9 inch) with a tablespoon of butter.

* Carefully coat with some of the almonds just to cover the bottom.

* Place that pan in the refrigerator while you prepare the cake batter

* Melt the chocolate with the remaining butter over a double boiler. Set aside to cool.

* In a separate bowl beat egg whites until stiff peaks form.

* In another bowl, beat together 3/4 cups plus 2 tablespoons sugar and 6 of the egg yolks until light and fluffy.

* Mix in the melted chocolate and beat until creamy.

* Use a spatula to gently fold in egg whites and the remaining almonds.

* Pour the batter in the prepared spring form pan and bake until center comes out dry - about 40 minutes.

Procedure for Cappuccino Zabaglione
* Combine the 3 remaining egg yolks and remaining sugar in the top pan of a double boiler. Beat until fluffy. I use a whisk.

* Add the prepared espresso and whisk constantly until the mixture becomes thick and foamy. Don't boil.

* Invert the cake and pour the hot sauce over immediately.

* To serve the dessert cold - set the cooked sauce aside and when its cold fold in one stiffly beaten egg white. Then pour over cake right before serving.

Recipe adapted from De' Medici Kitchen as seen on Public Television and sponsored by Braun