Chocolate Amaretti Cake

I got the recipe from Giada De Laurentiis’ Everyday Italian.   According to her, Amaretti means “little bitters” but it commonly refers to light, airy, crunchy, dome-shaped almond cookies.  These cookies were used in this cake.

For the cake, you will need:

• 3/4 cup semisweet chocolate chips
• 1 cup slivered almonds
• 1 cup (about 2 oz) amaretti cookies
• 2/3 cup sugar
• 1 stick (1/2 cup) unsalted butter, softened
• 2 teaspoons freshly grated orange zest
• 4 large eggs
• unsweetened cocoa powder for garnish

Procedure:

1)  Heat oven to 350°F.  Coat a 9-inch springform pan with non-stick spray.

2)  Microwave chocolate chips in a bowl, stirring every 30 seconds, until melted and smooth.

3)  Put almonds and cookies in a food processor; pulse until finely ground.  Transfer to a bowl.  Put sugar, butter and orange zest in processor; process until smooth and creamy.  With machine running, add eggs one at a time.  Add almond mixture and melted chocolate; pulse until blended.  Scrape into prepared pan.

4)  Make 35 minutes, or until top is firm and slightly cracked around the edges and a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean.  Cool in pan on a wire rack 15 minutes before removing pan sides and cooling completely.  Dust cake with cocoa stirred through a strainer.

Note:  If you can’t find amaretti cookies, you can substitute 1 cup ladyfinger cookies and 1/2 teaspoon almond extract.