Deliciously rich Torta del Nonno

Instructions

1. First, let’s make the pasta frolla (shortcrust) with chocolate: in a bowl, combine all ingredients but the butter, and mix well with a fork or spoon.
2. Add the cubed butter (cold from the fridge) to it, and quickly using your hands or a stand mixer, mix in the butter until you don’t see it anymore.
3. Make sure to be quick to prevent the butter from melting.
4. Work the dough until you get a smooth and uniform ball, then cover it with cling film and store in the fridge for at least 30 minutes.
5. During this time, you can start with the filling: finely chop the chocolate.
6. Place the milk to warm up in a small pot, making sure it doesn’t boil.
7. In a bowl, combine sugar maizena and egg yolks, and quickly mix with a whisk or spoon.
8. Add the coffee and mix.
9. Slowly pour in some milk while mixing (tempering the egg yolks), then keep adding more milk until all combined.
10. Move back to the stove and cook on very gentle heat while mixing. Make sure you don’t get lumps, or parts sticking to the pot.
11. Keep cooking until it gets dense.
12. Turn off the heat then add the chopped chocolate in.
13. Mix well until combined then set aside.
14. Let’s assemble the cake now!
15. Turn the oven to 180C.
16. Lightly oil your cake tin, then roll out 60% of the pastry to a thickness of 0.3 mm.
17. Carefully place it onto the cake tin and gently press the dough to adhere to the tin.
18. Load the center with the chocolate cream.
19. Roll out the remaining pastry to the same thickness and place it on top.
20. Pierce the lid with a fork, then brush the top with some of the egg whites.
21. Cover generously with almond flakes/crumbs, then place in the oven.
22. Cook for 35-40 min.
23. Let it cool completely before removing from the shell & cutting. Enjoy!