Chocolate Toasted Almond Torte

PreparationBake cake: Preheat oven to 350°F with rack positioned in middle. Grease spring-form pan and line bottom and sides with parchment (greasing pan will help parchment stick). Arrange almonds in a shallow baking pan and toast in oven until deep golden in color, about 15 minutes. Cool completely. Reduce oven temperature to 325°F. While nuts cool, place chocolate in a heatproof bowl and melt over a pot of simmering water, stirring occasionally. Cool chocolate to warm. Place cooled almonds with matzoh cake meal, potato starch and salt in a food processor and pulse until finely ground. (Be careful not to grind to a paste.) Whisk yolks, coconut milk, and vanilla into chocolate until smooth, then whisk in half of almond mixture until combined (mixture will be slightly grainy). Beat egg whites with a pinch of salt in the bowl of an electric mixer at medium speed until they just hold soft peaks. Increase speed to medium high and add sugar in a slow steady stream, beating, until whites hold stiff glossy peaks. Fold one third of whites into chocolate mixture to lighten, then fold in remaining whites gently but thoroughly. Sprinkle remaining almond mixture over the top and fold in gently but thoroughly until combined. Pour batter into prepared pan, and bake until cake is firm to the touch and begins to pull away from sides (center will appear moist but will set once cool), 45 to 50 minutes. Transfer to a rack and cool 30 minutes, then remove sides of spring-form and parchment and cool completely. Invert cake on rack and remove bottom and parchment, then reinvert cake onto a serving plate. Make powdered sugar while cake cools: Grind sugar and potato starch together in coffee/spice grinder until powdery. Just before serving, sprinkle top with sliced almonds (if desired) and dust with powdered sugar. Enjoy with berries alongside. Cooks' Notes:•Torte can be made 1 day ahead and kept loosely covered with foil at room temperature. Dust with sugar before serving. •If you are unable to find matzoh cake meal, finely grind regular matzoh meal in a coffee/spice grinder, then measure.

PreparationBake cake: Preheat oven to 350°F with rack positioned in middle. Grease spring-form pan and line bottom and sides with parchment (greasing pan will help parchment stick). Arrange almonds in a shallow baking pan and toast in oven until deep golden in color, about 15 minutes. Cool completely. Reduce oven temperature to 325°F. While nuts cool, place chocolate in a heatproof bowl and melt over a pot of simmering water, stirring occasionally. Cool chocolate to warm. Place cooled almonds with matzoh cake meal, potato starch and salt in a food processor and pulse until finely ground. (Be careful not to grind to a paste.) Whisk yolks, coconut milk, and vanilla into chocolate until smooth, then whisk in half of almond mixture until combined (mixture will be slightly grainy). Beat egg whites with a pinch of salt in the bowl of an electric mixer at medium speed until they just hold soft peaks. Increase speed to medium high and add sugar in a slow steady stream, beating, until whites hold stiff glossy peaks. Fold one third of whites into chocolate mixture to lighten, then fold in remaining whites gently but thoroughly. Sprinkle remaining almond mixture over the top and fold in gently but thoroughly until combined. Pour batter into prepared pan, and bake until cake is firm to the touch and begins to pull away from sides (center will appear moist but will set once cool), 45 to 50 minutes. Transfer to a rack and cool 30 minutes, then remove sides of spring-form and parchment and cool completely. Invert cake on rack and remove bottom and parchment, then reinvert cake onto a serving plate. Make powdered sugar while cake cools: Grind sugar and potato starch together in coffee/spice grinder until powdery. Just before serving, sprinkle top with sliced almonds (if desired) and dust with powdered sugar. Enjoy with berries alongside. Cooks' Notes:•Torte can be made 1 day ahead and kept loosely covered with foil at room temperature. Dust with sugar before serving. •If you are unable to find matzoh cake meal, finely grind regular matzoh meal in a coffee/spice grinder, then measure.