Remember when I said you could have gluten free chocolate cake and it’d still be good? The cake I linked there is also dairy free and free of refined sugars, so it still has it’s place (and I’ve made it many times for a “wholesome” treat), but flourless chocolate cake is a renowned dessert that just so happens to not have gluten. I now know what I’ll be making for Rich’s birthday parties from here on out. Flourless chocolate cake has very few ingredients but that doesn’t mean it’s easy to make. I’d rate it “intermediate”. Really it’s just the sort of dessert you want to make when your kids are napping – if you have kids. If you don’t have kids then just refrain from drinking wine during the thirty minutes it takes to put together.
A few tips – egg whites beat up best when they’re room temperature and you CANNOT have ANY yolks in the whites (or any fats) before proceeding. If you get this down, you should be good to go. Also, when you beat the yolks with the sugar, go a full 3-5 minutes until the color is pale and the mixture is thick. Make sure you read and check the pictures as you go along and you’re sure to end up with an impressive dessert. Garnish with caramel, berries, whipped cream or vanilla ice cream. Lastly – it’s best the second day (yay for make-ahead). You can glaze before it sits 24 hours OR let it sit after baking and glaze it the day you’ll serve it.
Flourless Double Chocolate Cake
Serves 10
Adapted from Bon Appetit
12 oz. Ghirardelli Bittersweet Chocolate Chips (two heaping cups)
12 tbsp. unsalted butter (1 1/2 sticks), chopped into tablespoons
6 large eggs, separated
12 tbsp. sugar, divided
2 tsp. vanilla
Glaze
1 1/4 c. bittersweet (or semisweet) chocolate chips
1/2 tsp. granulated coffee (optional)
2/3 c. heavy cream
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 9 inch springform pan with nonstick spray. Line the bottom of the pan with parchment paper (cut to fit) and spray the paper with nonstick spray. Line the outside of the pan with foil.
2. Combine chocolate chips with butter in a small saucepan over low heat. Stir occasionally until smooth. Set aside to cool to room temperature, stirring occasionally.
3. Beat egg yolks with 6 tbsp. of the sugar on medium high speed (of electric mixer) for about 3-5 minutes or until thick and pale in color.
4. With clean beaters in a large, clean bowl, beat egg whites with electric mixer until soft peaks form. Gradually add remaining sugar while beating. Continue to beat egg white mixture until medium-stiff peaks form.
5. Add luke-warm chocolate to egg yolk mixture and fold gently to combine.
6. Add vanilla to chocolate/yolk mixture and fold gently to combine.
7. Add egg whites in several additions, folding gently to combine.
8. Pour batter into prepared pan and bake for 50 minutes. Remove and let cool completely in the pan on a wire rack. Cover with plastic while still in pan.
9. To make glaze, combine chips and coffee, if using, in a small bowl. Heat cream over low heat. When it bubbles around the edges, pour into bowl with chocolate. Stir until smooth.
10. Remove foil and outside of the pan around cake. Place a wire rack on top and invert cake onto rack. Remove parchment. Cut around the edges to make clean, even lines.
11. Pour ganache on top of cake and smooth over top and onto edges. Cake will keep at room temperature for 24 hours.
Then, if you have homemade butterscotch in your fridge, throw some of that on, too! OR chocolate shavings, OR nothing at all. Serve with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream.
