Torta di Arance e Cioccolata - Orange and Chocolate Cake

Ingredients

• 2 medium-sized organic oranges (thin rind is better)
• 150g (1 cup) ground almonds
• 150g (3/4 cup) sugar
• 40g (1/3 cup) all-pourpose flour
• 6 eggs
• 1 tablespoon natural baking powder.
• 150 g/5 oz dark chocolate

Directions

1. Wash the oranges and place them in a high-sided pot.
2. Fill the pot with cold water and cook them on a moderate heat for 2 hours, or with a pressure cooker for 30 minutes, until they are very soft.
3. Let the oranges cool in the cooking water.
4. Remove the oranges from the water, slice them with the rind on, getting rid of any seeds.
5. Liquidize the orange slices with a blender until you get a smooth paste.
6. Preheat the oven to 170�C/340�F.
7. Separate the egg yolks from the whites.
8. Beat the eggs yolks with the sugar.
9. Add the ground almonds, the oranges and the flour. Work until you get a smooth mixture.
10. Beat the egg whites until they are stiff and then fold them into the rest very gently.
11. Add the natural baking powder and work in gently.
12. Pour the mixture into a lined cake tin (buttered and breadcrumbed) and bake in the oven for 1 hour.
13. Take the cake out the tin and let it rest for a few hours, if possible.
14. Cut the chocolate into small pieces and let it melt in a small saucepan in a double boiler.
15. Pour the melted chocolate on the center of the cake and spread it out quickly over the entire surface.
16. Let the frosting harden before you serve.