Ingredients:

• ⅔ cups MyOlive Blood Orange Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• 6 tbsp sifted, unsweetened cocoa powder
• ½ cup boiling water
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 ½ cups almond flour (Bob’s Red Mill is a reliable source) or 125 grams all-purpose flour
• ½ tsp baking soda
• Pinch of sea salt
• 1 cup confectioners’ sugar
• 3 large eggs

Preparation:

1. Preheat the oven to 325F.

2. Grease a 9-inch round baking pan lightly with olive oil and line with parchment paper.

3. Place the sifted cocoa powder in a mixing bowl and whisk in the boiling water until you have a smooth, chocolatey, runny paste. Whisk in the vanilla extract and then set aside to cool.

4. In a separate bowl, combine the almond flour with the baking soda and salt.

5. Put the sugar, olive oil and eggs into a bowl of a freestanding mixer and with the paddle attachment beat vigorously for 3 minutes until you have a pale-colored, aerated and thickened cream.

6. Gently add the almond flour mixture and cooled cocoa mixture.

7. Scrape the mixture down, and stir a little with a spatula, then pour this dark, liquid batter into the prepared tin. If it looks too dry -it should be quite runny- add a little water plus a splash more olive oil. Bake for 35 minutes or until the sides are set and the very center, on top, still looks slightly damp. A cake tester should come up mainly clean but with a few sticky chocolate crumbs clinging to it.

8. Let it cool for 10 minutes on a wire rack, still in the tin, and then ease the sides of the cake with a thin spatula and spring it out of the tin. Leave to cool completely or serve while still warm with a scoop of Lemon Olive Oil Ice Cream.

Extra Tips:

• For an extra flourish, you can whip up this recipe further by adding a little cream to serve. Try mixing whipping cream with Chocolate di Torino Balsamic Condimento.

• Place 1 cup of heavy whipping cream and 1 tbsp of Chocolate di Torino Balsamic Condimento in the bowl of a stand mixer. Use the whisk attachment to whip the mixture well. Adjust sweetness, to taste, by adding a drizzle of the condiment.