Flourless Chocolate & Almond Cake
Recipe
(from Times Online)
Serves 6
Prep: 20 min
Cook: 50 min
* I would highly recommend using a springform cake pan or removable-bottom cake pan to bake this.
- 200g dark, bitter chocolate (I used Valrhona Equatorial 55%, so ... not exactly dark or bitter)
- 1 tbsp strong espresso coffee (I omitted this)
- 1 tbsp rum or brandy (I used rum)
- 150g caster sugar (I reduced the sugar to 130g because I didn't use dark bitter chocolate)
- 150g butter (I used unsalted)
- 100g ground almonds
- 5 eggs, separated
- Icing sugar for dusting
- Pinch of salt (the recipe doesn't call for this, but I always feel salt enhances the flavour of chocolate ... still, it's optional)
1. Melt the chocolate, coffee, rum or brandy, sugar and butter (and salt, if using) in a bowl sitting in a pot of barely simmering water. Remove from the heat and stir until well mixed.
2. Add the ground almonds and mix well. Beat in the egg yolks, one by one.
* Unless you can't take nuts, you must include the almonds! The nutty flavour brings out another dimension against the smooth chocolate. Amazing.
3. Beat the egg whites until stiff and peaky, and stir a couple of spoonfuls into the chocolate mixture to lighten it, before gently folding in the rest.
* Let me clarify for those who are unclear: add whites to chocolate, not the other way around.
4. Turn into a buttered and floured 20cm (8in) round or square cake tin and bake at 180°C/Gas 4 for 40 to 50 mins (less if you like it fudgey, more if you like it cakey).
* I found it neither fudgey nor cakey. I'd like to use the word "mousse-like" to describe the velvety-soft interior. If you like chocolate mousse, you'll love this cake.
5. Leave to cool before removing gently from the tin, and dust with icing sugar to serve.
