Amaretto di Saronno. The name almost sounds like poetry doesn’t it?
Most of us are familiar with the bittersweet amber liqueur of the same name with its rich almond flavor. Today’s amaretto is an infusion that includes the oil of apricot kernels, burnt sugar, fruits and herbs. It is often referred to as the spirit of love and romance, dating all the way back to the 16th century. Legend has it that it was originally made as a gift to a young painter from his beautiful model.
Amaretti cookies, though not made with that famed spirit, have that same bittersweet almond taste. They too are associated with romantic legend. As the story goes, a cardinal from Milan visited the little Italian town of Saronno in the early 18th century. A young couple, who were deeply in love, baked him some biscuits from sugar, egg whites and crushed almonds or apricot kernels. They wrapped the little cookies in tissue paper and presented them as a gift. In thanks, the cardinal is said to have blessed them with wishes for a happy marriage and a long life together.
I love the liqueur and the cookies and use them both in my baking. Amaretto di Saronno Originale liqueur is readily available. It is sold in a beautiful, rippled Murano glass bottle with a square cap.
Amaretti cookies, made by Bellini, can be found at the supermarket (in the “Italian section”). But, if you can, try to find those made by Lazzaroni—perfectly shaped, round biscuits wrapped in pastel tissue paper in packs of two and packed in a distinctive, red tin box. They are sold in specialty stores, Italian markets and online and are worth the trouble to find. The Lazzaroni family claims to be the sole possessor of the original cookie recipe. Authentic amaretti biscuits are crisp on the outside, chewy on the inside and sprinkled with coarse sugar.
I recently baked a chocolate amaretti cake that uses both of these Italian treats. It is called Torta di Cioccolata alle Mandorle and is a specialty of Lombardy, a northern province of Italy near Switzerland. The recipe calls for almonds, amaretti cookies and semi-sweet chocolate rather than flour. It results in a rich, dense confection, perhaps a little like a brownie. I took the cake to a friends’ house for dinner and, paired with creamy gelato, it was a hit.
Spring is coming. Celebrate the season by serving this cake for company or a romantic dinner for two. Good espresso and a little glass of amaretto liqueur on the side would be lovely. Your love affair with amaretto has begun.
Ingredients
- 6 ounces semi-sweet chocolate (I use Hershey’s but other good quality brands will do. Just don’t use bittersweet.)
- 1 cup almonds (skin-on almonds are fine)
- 1 cup crumbled amaretti cookies
- ½ cup (4 ounces) unsalted butter at room temperature
- ½ cup sugar
- 4 eggs
- 1 or 2 tablespoons Amaretto liqueur
- Cocoa powder for dusting
Recipe
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
- Grease and flour a 9-inch, round cake pan with sides at least 2 inches high. (I used my springform pan and PAM baking spray.)
- Break the chocolate into small pieces and place in a heatproof bowl. Then place the bowl over a saucepan that has a few inches of simmering water in it. The bottom of the bowl should not touch the water. Heat until softened, stirring occasionally. (This is not a hard step. If you have a double boiler that will work too.) When the chocolate is softened, remove from the simmering water and stir it until smooth and glossy.
- In a food processor, process the almonds and cookie crumbs until finely ground and transfer to a bowl.
- Process the butter and sugar until smooth.
- With the motor running, add the eggs, one at a time, and blend well. Scrape down the sides of the bowl occasionally. Add the Amaretto liqueur.
- Add the nut mixture and the chocolate to the food processor bowl. Pulse to blend all the ingredients together.
- Pour batter into the prepared pan. Smooth it out a little with a spatula.
- Bake until the center is slightly puffed, about 30 minutes. My advice is to check the cake at 20 minutes with a cake tester or bamboo stick as every oven is different. It is done when the tester comes out clean.
- Remove the cake from the oven and let it cool on a rack for 15 minutes.
- Remove the cake from the springform pan by releasing the sides onto a plate. If you are using a plain round cake pan, invert it onto the plate. Let the cake cool completely.
- Just before serving, sift some cocoa powder over the top of the cake. This creates a very pretty effect. Top each serving with gelato, ice cream or sweetened whipped cream.
- Enjoy
