Before you ask… it’s not anyone’s birthday around here. I just couldn’t stop thinking about the dessert that Nadia made at my cooking class a couple week’s ago and I couldn’t let the lack of a specific occasion stop me from baking in the rain this weekend.

Now, when it comes to chocolate, I am almost always a purist. I like dark chocolate (won’t waste my calories on milk chocolate) and I like nuts, but I don’t like nuts and chocolate together. So it surprised me to realize how much I love Nadia’s deep rich flourless chocolate cake made with almond meal and almond liqueur (amaretto). But don’t be scared - the almond flavors are surprisingly subtle and not overwhelming at all! The almond hints just add a real interest to the flavors of the torte.

My husband’s been begging me to make him ice cream for awhile now, so he’s got his wish PLUS a cake now. It may not be good for our waistlines to have such indulgent delicious treats just lounging around our fridge and freezer, but oh well! Since he quit his job about six weeks ago, there are no manly video gamers just waiting around for calorie-dense treats to be brought to the office.

I’m not bragging (since I did nothing but follow the recipes!), but as I told my husband upon our first bites, if you received these sweets in a fine restaurant, you would be exceedingly pleased. It’s just that GOOD!

Now go make some cake and ice cream and GET CHUBBY with us!

Torta de Cioccoloato e Amaretto
(Chocolate Amaretto Torte)
Recipe from Nadia Frigeri
Serves 10

8 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped (I used Scharffenberger 62%)
8 T unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/2 cup sugar
1 1/2 cups ground almonds (Grind your own in the food processor! Don’t buy the meal in the store!)
1/3 cup amaretti cookie powder or unbleached all-purpose flour
5 large eggs, separated, at room temperature
6 T sugar

1/3 to 1/2 cup Amaretto liqueur (optional)
powdered sugar

1. Place the chocolate in a double boiler over simmering water until melted and smooth. Remove chocolate from over water and cool slightly.

2. With electric mixer, beat sugar with butter until light and fluffy. Beat in the melted chocolate. Add one egg yolk at a time, beating well before each addition. Continue beating until smooth and light. Add ground almond and amaretto powder.

3. Beat egg whites until beginning to form soft peaks. Gradually add the 6 T of sugar and beat to firm peaks. Gently fold whites into batter, a little mixture at a time. Pour mixture into a buttered spring form pan (bottom lined with parchment paper) and bake in a preheated oven at 350 degrees F about 40 minutes.

4. Cool on rack in pan about 10 minutes, then run a sharp knife around sides and release pan side and cool completely. Transfer cake to a platter. Drizzle with Amaretto liqueur and sprinkle with powdered sugar and serve.

Gelato di Amaretto
Amaretto Ice Cream
Recipe from Nadia Frigeri
Makes about 1 quart

3 large eggs
1/2 to 3/4 cup sugar (I used 2/3 to split the difference)
1 1/2 cups whole milk
1 1/2 cups heavy whipping cream
2 t vanilla extract
1 cup amaretti cookie powder (made from amaretti cookies ground to a powder in the food processor)

1. Beat eggs with sugar until mixture is light and fluffy. Add milk and cream. Mix well and transfer mixture to a medium saucepan over medium heat. Cook, until mixture thickens (enough to coat the back of a spoon), stirring constantly.

2. Remove from heat, add the cookie powder and vanilla. Transfer mixture to a bowl to cool completely. Keep refrigerated at least 4 hours or overnight.

3. Transfer mixture to an ice cream maker and proceed according to maker’s directions.