Torta Tenerina With Rose Water | Recipe
Chocolate cake with a creamy centre and a crispy crust
Text:
Katharina Kuhlmann
Photography:
© Marzia Balza
7 May 2026
This recipe for the traditional Italian chocolate cake, Torta Tenerina, is transformed into something truly special with the addition of delicate rose notes. Rose water in the batter and edible rose petals sprinkled on top make this cake the perfect treat for special occasions, such as Mother’s Day. Thanks to the special flour-free recipe using beaten egg whites, the Torta Tenerina is particularly moist and creamy at the centre. The crust, on the other hand, is thin and crispy – an intriguing contrast in texture. This particularly chocolatey recipe, made with dark cooking chocolate, is gluten-free thanks to the use of almonds instead of flour; it is very quick to prepare and is also suitable for beginners.
Why VIVANI's "Dark Cooking Chocolate" is the perfect match for this Torta Tenerina
Cooking chocolate is perfect for baking. Whenever cakes, tarts and pastries need to be covered or decorated with chocolate, cooking chocolate is the better choice. The higher cocoa butter content compared to chocolate makes melted cooking chocolate particularly easy to pour and work with.
To make a Torta Tenerina, you need high-quality dark chocolate with a cocoa content of 60–70%. This is essential for achieving an intense, bitter chocolate flavour. The chocolate must also melt well to achieve the perfect creamy consistency at the centre of the cake. These two factors make VIVANI’s Dark Cooking Chocolate with 70% cocoa content the perfect choice for this delicious cake.
RECIPE: TORTA TENERINA WITH ROSE WATER
Ingredients
For 1 springform tin with Ø 20 cm
For the cake:
100 g
VIVANI Dark Cooking Chocolate
100 g
butter
2
eggs (size L)
80 g
sugar
1 pinch
salt
2 tsp
rose water
20 g
ground almonds
To decorate:
dried rose petals
baking cocoa or icing sugar
making
working time
approx. 25 minutes
baking time
18–20 minutes
level of difficulty
easy
N°
01
Preheat the oven to 170 °C (top and bottom heat). Grease the springform tin and line the base with baking paper.
02
Melt the cooking chocolate with the butter in a bain-marie and stir until smooth. Leave to cool briefly.
03
Separate the eggs. Beat the egg yolks with the sugar until creamy. Stir in the chocolate and butter mixture, along with the rose water and almonds.
04
Whisk the egg whites with a pinch of salt until stiff.
05
Now gently fold the whisked egg whites into the chocolate mixture until a smooth, light batter forms.
06
Pour the batter into the prepared tin and bake for 18–20 minutes. The cake is ready when the surface looks matt and a skewer inserted into the centre comes out with moist crumbs but no liquid batter.
07
Leave the Torta to cool completely. Then sprinkle with rose petals and dust with icing sugar or baking cocoa powder. Note: Once cooled, the surface of the Torta Tenerina will crack slightly; this is normal.
Alternatives & Tips
Flavour variations
• Replace rose water with orange blossom water.
• Add finely grated orange or lemon zest for a fresh note.
Texture
• For a particularly soft centre, keep the baking time on the shorter side (approx. 18 minutes).
Decoration
• For an especially elegant look, use chopped pistachios or chopped VIVANI Dark Cooking Chocolate.
Serving
• For a particularly indulgent experience, serve the Torta Tenerina lukewarm with creamy vanilla ice cream.
Dark Cooking Chocolate
70 % Cocoa | vegan
Related
If you like it, you also like ...
Recipes
