The best flourless chocolate cake

This is the best chocolate cake I've ever had. I've made it for multiple friends who claim to "not like chocolate cake"... and it has made them decide that they do, in fact, like this chocolate cake.

I first had this cake on my 11th birthday, and it changed my life. It's my favorite birthday cake.

It's delicate, deliciously light and rich at the same time, and an impressive dessert for dinner parties!

This recipe is by Stephanie Alexander, and it's based on the classic Reine de Saba.

 

Flourless Chocolate and Almond Cake

Serves 10

gluten free
contains dairy, eggs and almonds.

Ingredients
these measurements use metric cups - for those in the US make sure to convert to imperial cups

125g bittersweet chocolate, chopped
1 tbsp brandy (optional)
1 tbsp black coffee (not optional!)
100g unsalted butter, softened
½ cup castor sugar/superfine sugar
¾ cup ground almonds/almond meal (blanched or natural are both fine)
3 eggs, separated

to serve:
icing sugar (to sprinkle)
whipped cream and berries

 

Method

1. Preheat oven to 160C/320F. Butter an 18cm/7" round cake tin and line it with baking paper.

2. Combine chocolate, brandy and coffee in a heatproof bowl over a saucepan of boiling water or in a double boiler. Stir when the chocolate is melted and then add butter and sugar. Mix well.

3. Add ground almonds and stir very well. Remove from heat.

4. Lightly beat egg yolks and add them to the bowl.

5. Beat egg whites until firm. Lighten chocolate mixture with a spoonful of egg white, then fold in rest of whites and spoon into prepared tin.

6. Bake for 40-45 minutes. (or even less if you want an extra gooey cake)

The cake will still test a little gooey in the center. It will have developed a crust and be very fragile. Cool completely in the tin, then carefully invert onto a serving plate. Dust with icing sugar.

Serve with whipped cream and berries. You can also sprinkle tiny rosemary/lavender flowers over the top.

 

 

If you make this let me know how it went in the comments!

 

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