Torta Margherita

Photo: flickr user mach-ms

Ingredients

4 lrgs Eggs

2 lrgs Egg yolks

1 pch salt

cup Sugar

1 cup Flour

If a chocolate flavored cake is desired

cup Flour

cup Dutch cocoa powder

Preparation

NOTE: Eggs and sugar are warmed to room temperature before whipping. This allows more air to be absorbed and LEAVEN the batter while baking.

Combine all but flour. Whisk to mix. Place over simmering water so bowl touches water (double boiler application). Whisk until warm (100 - 105F).

Remove bowl and whip on hi speed with a whip attachment until light in color and cooled. Volume will increase 4 times over.

Sift flour, 1/4 cup at a time, over egg foam. Fold GENTLY with a spatula after each addition to incorporate...keeping as much air as possible in mixture.

Pour into prepared pan (greased and lightly dusted with flour or cocoa).

Bake 325F for 30 minutes, until risen, firm to touch and deep golden in color. Invert on rack and carefully remove paper with point of a small knife. Immediately invert to cool, to room temperature.

When cooled, may be double wrapped in plastic wrap. Will keep 5 days ahead in refrigerator; freezer 1 month.

Cake may be used as is, or split and iced with either "filling" for Torta Nera Con le Noci, or Torta Di Amaretti. Also simple dribblings of a raspberry puree, or chocolate sauce or cranberry liqueur type sauce and powdered sugar dusting would be nice. The Chateau in Ottowa presented such a cake, sitting on a plate which had a thin half circle each of raspberry puree/chocolate puree (like sitting on a two colored doily). Very nice, as the bites of sponge type cake could be doused in the sauce of your choice.