It’s a Flourless Chocolate Cake. If I were having a New Year’s Eve party this would be my choice for dessert, since it is amazingly easy to make and as flavorful as the most expensive confectioner’s specialty. In fact, it makes a good signature recipe for someone who likes to make desserts.
I have spent some time on gluten-free baking because it seems that more people are becoming aware that too much flour will make them uncomfortable. It can be a mild situation or it can be full-blown Celiac Disease, which is miserable. So if you can escape from the flour once in awhile and still score this gorgeous treat, go for it.
Flourless Chocolate Cake is popular in Jewish households as a Passover dessert because it is compliant with kosher dietary rules for Passover. If I get to go to a Seder this coming year I will be happy to contribute one to the festival, I assure you.
I buy chocolate at Tucson's health-food stores most of the time because they tend to carry high-end chocolate and you should always get the best cooking chocolate that you can.
FLOURLESS CHOCOLATE CAKE
Ingredients:
4 (1 ounce) squares semisweet organic chocolate, chopped
1/2 cup organic butter
3/4 cup organic sugar
1/2 cup organic cocoa powder
1 Tablespoon espresso powder
3 large organic eggs, at room temperature
1 teaspoon organic vanilla extract
Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Grease an 8 inch round cake pan and dust it with cocoa powder.
In the top of a double boiler over lightly simmering water or in a glass dish in the microwave, melt the chocolate and butter. Allow the melted butter and chocolate to cool to just above room temperature. Place the mixture in a mixing bowl and stir in the sugar, cocoa powder, vanilla and espresso powder.
Beat the eggs into the cooled chocolate mixture one at a time, beating for 5 minutes between each egg, giving the eggs plenty of time to become fluffy and aerated. Pour the batter into the prepared pan.
Bake in the preheated oven for 30 minutes. Let the cake cool in the pan for 10 minutes and then turn it out onto a wire rack and cool completely. Slices can also be reheated for 20 to 30 seconds in the microwave before serving.
This cake is typically frosted with a ganache of chocolate and cream that is poured warm over the cake and allowed to cool in place. Try this:
CHOCOLATE GANACHE
Ingredients:
8 ounces semisweet organic chocolate, roughly chopped
2/3 cup heavy organic whipping cream
In a heavy saucepan, melt chocolate chips with cream over low heat. Remove from the heat and refrigerate, stirring occasionally, for about 40 minutes.
For a pourable ganache, cool until mixture is slightly thickened. Pour over the cake, allowing some to flow down the edges to coat. Spread the ganache with a spatula if necessary to coat evenly, working quickly before it thickens. Chill until set.
For spreadable ganache, chill the hot mixture until it reaches a spreadable consistency. Spread over the cake and chill until set.
I do not recommend trying to spread the ganache over a flourless cake because the cake itself is quite delicate. The pressure of spreading may damage the cake. If I were doing it I would pour the warmer ganache over the cake and then refrigerate the whole thing until it is chilled thoroughly before slicing and/or serving.
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