The sweet midwinter: Flourless chocolate, chestnut & rosemary cake

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The sweet midwinter: Flourless chocolate, chestnut & rosemary cake

By Skye Mcalpine

Published: | Updated:

This recipe is adapted from the old Venetian cookbook A Tola Coi Nostri Veci. I make it using sweetened chestnut purée from France. If you can’t find it, use 400g of the unsweetened variety whisked lightly with 100g icing sugar until smooth. 

SERVES 8-10

salted butter, for the tin

500g sweetened chestnut purée

4 eggs, separated

75g ground almonds

40g cocoa powder

leaves from 4 rosemary sprigs, plus extra sprigs for the top

icing sugar, to dust

  • Preheat the oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Butter a 20cm round cake tin and line with baking parchment.
  • Pour the chestnut purée into a large mixing bowl. Lightly beat the yolks with a fork, then add them to the purée. Pour in the ground almonds, add the cocoa and mix well. Roughly chop the rosemary leaves and add them to the batter, then stir until well combined.
  • In a second bowl, whisk the egg whites until stiff, then fold into the chocolate mix. Pour into the tin and sprinkle on a few rosemary sprigs. Bake for 40-45 minutes until a skewer comes out clean. Leave to cool in the tin, then turn out. The cake will keep nicely for 2-3 days. Dust with icing sugar before serving.