Friday, January 23, 2004

Flourless Chocolate Torte

This recipe is posted for Mheh, who asked for a dense, (hee), chocolate cake recipe.  Mike lives in Canada, where there is no such thing as cake mix.  (That's almost the truth).   I serve this torte with a raspberry coulis, (I cook down a bunch of raspberries, fresh or frozen, with a bunch of sugar, then strain once it's syrup-y)  AND fresh whipped cream.  It would be good with a white chocolate sauce, or just dusted with powdered sugar, also.

12 oz. bittersweet chocolate, chopped

12 Tbs.  unsalted butter

1 Cup plus 1 Tbs. granulated sugar, divided

5 large egg yolks, at room temp

5 large egg whites, at room temp

1/3 C. very finely ground blanched almonds

(1) Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Lightly greased (or coat with nonstick cooking spray) a 9-inch springform pan.  Line the pan with a piece of parchment paper and grease or spray lightly again. (2) Melt the chocolate in the top of a double boiler, or in the microwave.  (Ask me for directions if you are unsure about this!!) (3) In a medium saucepan, combine the butter and 3/4 C. of the sugar, and cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until the butter is melted. Remover the pan from the heat and stir in the melted chocolate. (4) In the 4 1/2 qt. bowl of a heavy-duty mixer, using the whisk attachment, whip the egg yolks and 3 Tbs. of the remaining sugar on high speed until pale, and tripled in volume, about 5 minutes.  (May take longer with a hand mixer).  Using a rubber spatula, gently fold in the chocolate mixture. (5) Place the egg whites in a clean 4 1/2 qt. bowl of mixer.  Using the whisk attachment, beat on medium speed until the whites start to turn frothy.  Slowly add the remaining 2 Tbs. of sugar and beat on high until the whites become stiff, (but NOT dry). (6) Using a large rubber spatula, gently fold the whites into the chocolate mixture.  Fold in the almonds.  Pour the mixture into the prepared pan and bake for 35 to 40 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out with a few moist crumbs clinging to it.  remove from the oven and cool on a wire rack for 20 minutes.  (The top of the cake will crack: this is normal for flourless cakes).  remove the side of the springform pan and cool the cake on a rack completely. 

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Sounds really yummy ~ care to make it for me!?! LOL, I'm so bad in the kitchen. Gotta keep it simple for me.

Monica

Anonymous said...

This sounds absolutely amazing !! However, being allergic to almonds, I couldn't prepare it, let alone eat it. Are the almonds imperative to the cake...do they replace the flour? If so, do you know of a comparable substitute for them? Also, that raspberry sauce sounds awesome. Can you clarify "a bunch of sugar", please...perhaps a ratio of berries to sugar?