Virginia Iovine-Turner Cucina Amore www.cucinaamore.co.nz

The Weekend Sun columnist and Italian cook Virginia Iovine-Turner has once again been asked to demonstrate her delicious cooking on Good Morning on TV1.

Last year, she demonstrated a saucy braciole – beef rolled with pine nuts, parsley and raisins. This time she is demonstrating something a bit sweeter.

Virginia says her cooking demonstration on the show is only allocated eight minutes and working to a tight time frame is a lot of pressure.
'It is just full on. Because you have such a limited time frame, your recipe can't be too complex and you are working in a confined space under hot lights.

'But the producers are really nice and it is a great experience.”
She says the producers kept in contact after her appearance last year and offered her this spot. She says other TV work might be in the pipeline as she embarks on her Italian food lovers trip next August.

Caprese Chocolate Torte
Prep time: 30 minutes
Cooking time: 1 hour
Cost: $25

Ingredients
6 large free-range eggs, separated
175g almonds, peeled
175g walnuts, finely ground
350g energy chocolate, chopped
1 heaped tbsp best quality coco powder
275g soft butter
110g caster sugar
1/2 tsp salt

Method
Use a 25cm or 10 inch tin with baking paper or butter sides of tin and dust with flour.
Pre-heat oven to 190 degrees.
In a food processor, chop nuts until fine. Add chocolate and coco and mix for a further 45 seconds. Place in a dish and set aside.
Add butter to processor, mix with sugar until light and fluffy, add egg yolks one at one time. Fold this mixture into the nut mixture.
In a separate bowl, mix egg whites with salt until light and fluffy. Fold into the nut mixture and pour into the tin. Bake for one hour. Serve with creme fraiche or berry reduction.