And that's a Wrap to 2017!

The Gift of Sea Salt

Wrapped up with a striped bow , of course!

Hello there and Happy delicious and inspiring New Year to you! I know I have said this before in other posts, but I will say it again - Whew! It has been a whirlwind of activity both personally and professionally for our Newport Sea Salt family. During our first small business Christmas season, we moved into our old home in Newport from military housing. This was our first move ever that did not involve moving out of state, across country or across the ocean - but just across town. It was the shortest move we have ever made, but not the easiest. As snow came down as well as the cold temperature, we watched as box after box came into our home marked ‘nick nacks’ and books waiting to find a cozy spot in our extra small home. Matt and I just looked at each other with a bit of bewilderment, but smiled and started to unpack - and decorate for Christmas. Did I mention that between the move and the crazy holiday season that it was business as usual?! And not usual by any means, as we had vendors calling us with replenishing requests and new orders to stock their shelves. It was AH-MAZING.

It is certainly a blur right now as I look back over the past month and the past year, but we are just so grateful for our family, home, small business, and all the lovely people we are connecting with along the way. Cheers to 2018 friends!

Here is a recipe for Torta Caprese - flourless chocolate almond cake derived from the Island of Capri.  We learned of this recipe while living in Italy. We shared this dessert with our extended family on Christmas Eve around our farm table for the first time in our new home. It is dense and decadent, but oh so good! Buon Appetito and Buon Anno! 

Torta Caprese Topped with Newport Sea Salt
(makes one 9-inch cake)

9 ounces (255 g) good quality dark chocolate, chopped into small pieces (I used 70% dark chocolate from the Newport Sweet Shoppe) 
1 cup (225 g) butter
1/4 cup (25 g) cocoa powder
1 teaspoon almond extract
1 1/4 cup (250 g) granulated sugar
1 1/2 cups finely ground blanched and toasted almonds
6 medium-sized eggs, room temperature (If you use large eggs, use only 5 eggs in this recipe)

* Newport Sea Salt 100% pure sea salt to finish on top before placing in oven. 

Preheat an oven to 310°F and line the bottom of a 9-inch spring form pan with parchment paper.

Slowly melt the chocolate and butter over a double-boiler. In a stand mixer with a whisk attachment, whisk together the melted chocolate mixture, the cocoa powder, almond extract and sugar until combined. Add the ground almonds and whisk until combined. Add the eggs one at a time, adding each egg after the first has been incorporated into the mixture. Pour the mixture into the spring form pan. Make sure the mixture is level and smooth on top. Sprinkle Newport Sea Salt on top! Bake for about 50 minutes. The cake will rise a bit and then fall back on itself once it cools. The baking time varies slightly depending on your oven, but the cake should be very moist in the center and dense once it cools. Cool before serving. 

Buon Appetito!