The Tenerina Cake is a typical dessert from the city of Ferrara, which thanks to its deliciousness has won over the entire country… in fact, no one can resist a slice of this fantastic chocolate cake! Is it due to its fragrant outer crust or its melting consistency that dissolves in the mouth with every bite? We love both, but one thing is certain: its intense chocolate flavor pleases everyone! The Tenerina Cake is a cake with few ingredients, without yeast, which has the peculiarity of remaining low and moist inside, just as the name suggests: in the Ferrara dialect, it was also called “Torta Taclenta”, which means sticky in Italian.
A simple dessert to make, with guaranteed success: to enhance its flavor even further, try serving it with a delicate mascarpone cream, you’ll taste the goodness.. perfect for any occasion and Father’s Day!
Here are other versions to try:
Tenerina Cake
INGREDIENTS
– 200g dark chocolate 55%
– 100g butter
– 4 medium eggs
– 150g sugar
– 50g flour 00
Tenerina Cake
Calories
Difficulty: Easy
Preparation: 20 min
Cooking: 25 min
Servings: 8
Cost: Medium
Note + cooling time
Tenerina Cake PREPARATION
How to make Tenerina Cake
1. Start by finely chopping the chocolate, then transfer it to a bowl placed in a pan of water (the water should not come into contact with the bottom of the bowl or saucepan in which you have poured the chocolate), and let it melt in a double boiler, stirring constantly.
2. Only when the chocolate is already melted, but not excessively hot, add the butter in pieces.
3. Let this also melt, continuing to stir.
4. Since the exact melting temperature of the chocolate is around 50°C, butter should only be added once the chocolate is melted, making sure it does not exceed its melting point (which is about 32°C), thus avoiding separation. Let the chocolate and butter mixture cool, stirring occasionally, and in the meantime, separate the egg yolks from the whites into two different and large bowls. At this point, add half of the sugar to the egg yolks and whisk them until you get a firm and frothy mixture.
5. Keep the egg whites whipped and pour the remaining sugar into them, then whisk everything together at moderate speed until you get a clear and frothy mixture.
6. While the beaters are still running, gradually pour in the now lukewarm chocolate and butter mixture.
7. Continue beating until you get a smooth mixture.
8. Then add the beaten egg whites in several steps, initially adding about 1/3 of the egg whites and mixing with a spatula or whisk.
9. Incorporate the remaining egg whites this time, gently stirring from bottom to top.
10. Add the flour, previously sifted, and always mix with a spatula, gently making movements from bottom to top.
11. You should get a smooth and uniform mixture.
12. At this point, grease and flour a 24-26 cm diameter springform pan (so it will be easier to remove the Tenerina Cake), and pour the freshly prepared mixture into it. Bake in a preheated static oven at 180°C for 25 minutes (it is not recommended to use a convection oven that could cook the outside of the cake too much and too little the inside).
13. Once removed from the oven, let your Tenerina Cake cool before removing it from the mold. Decorate with powdered sugar and serve.
14. Tenerina Cake can be kept under a glass cloche for 3 days at room temperature.
15. Instead of a double boiler, you can also melt chocolate and butter in the microwave.
16. If you like a low Tenerina Cake, use a 26 cm diameter pan, if you prefer it a bit higher, use a large 24 cm pan. In both cases, it is preferable to use a springform pan, making it easier to remove the cake.
17. Let the Tenerina Cake cool well before moving it from the pan and cutting it, otherwise the crust may break too much.
18. If you’re looking for a gluten-free version, try the chocolate cake recipe without flour!