Chocolate Almond Torte

Copy from : Frozen wings

Recipe ( from Joy of Baking )Ingredients:1 cup ( 100gms) of finely ground almonds( Ground 1 cup or blanced or sliced almonds in your food processor)4 large eggs7 ounces ( 200gms ) semisweet or bittersweet chocolate, chopped150gms unsalted butter, cut into small pieces150gms granulated /caster sugar, divided into 100gms and 50gms1/2 tsp vanilla extract1/4 tsp cream of tartar
Method:
1. Preheat oven to 375F/190C and line an 8inch/20cm springform pan with parchment paper. ( I set my oven at 160C)
2. Separate the cold eggs, placing the egg yolks in one bowl and the egg whites in another. Cover with plastic wrap and let stand until reach room temperature ( about 30 minutes) or get room temperature eggs and separate egg whites and egg yolks
3. Melt the chopped chocolate and butter in a stainless steel bowl placed over a saucepan of simmering water. Once melted, remove from heat.
4.Meanwhile, place the egg yolks and 100gms of sugar in the bowl of your electric mixer, fitted with paddle attachment. Cream the yolks and sugar until pale and thick ( about 2-3 minutes). Beat in the melted chocolate mixture and vanilla extract. Fold in the ground almonds.
5.In a clean bowl, place the egg whites and whisk until foamy. Add the cream of tartar and continue whisking until soft peaks form. Gradually sprinkle the remaining  50gms of sugar and whisk until stiff peaks form. Fold about 1/4 of the whites into the chocolate batter to lighten it. Quickly fold in the rest of the whites and mix only until incorporated.
6. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for about 45-50 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the ccenter of the cake has a few moist crumbs. Remove from oven and cool on a wire rack. The cake will rise during baking but falls during cooling, leaving a crisp and cracked crust. Once cool, run a spatula around the inside of the pan before releasing the sides. If not serving immediately, cover and place in the refrigeraor. Serve cold or at room temperature. Dust with icing sugar. ( mine took 90 min for cake done)