Flourless Chocolate Torte

Dairy Flourless Almond Chocolate Torte

Makes 12 servings.

Gluten free, moist, chocolaty and absolutely delicious, this cake can be eaten plain, topped with chocolate icing, ice cream, sorbet or berries.

INGREDIENTS FOR TORTE:

  • 8 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature, cut into small pieces plus 1 tablespoon for greasing the pan
  • 7 ounces imported semi-sweet chocolate, broken into small pieces
  • 4 large eggs, at room temperature (See Note)
  • 1/3 cup sugar
  • 1 ½ cups finely ground almond flour with skin, plus 2 tablespoons for dusting the pan and 2 tablespoons for dusting the cake (See Note)

INGREDIENTS FOR CHOCOLATE ICING:

  • 3 ounces imported semi-sweet chocolate, broken into small pieces
  • 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature, cut into small pieces
  • 2 tablespoons sliced almonds for sprinkling over the icing, optional

PREPARATION:

  1. Preheat the oven to 350F
  2. Grease a 9 x 1 ½ inch spring form pan with a removable bottom. Dust with almond meal, invert the pan and tap the pan to shake out the excess almond meal.
  3. Place the chocolate into the top of a double boiler. Cover and set over simmering water until the chocolate is melted. Remove the top of the double boiler, uncover and cool.
  4. Place the butter and the egg yolks in a bowl of an electric mixer. Using the balloon whisk attachment, beat the egg yolks, at medium speed, gradually adding the sugar until the mixture is pale, about 5 minutes. Add the melted chocolate and combine well.
  5. With a rubber spatula, add the almonds and combine.
  6. In another bowl of an electric mixer beat the egg whites, at high speed, using the balloon whisk attachment until stiff peaks form.
  7. With a rubber spatula fold half of the egg whites into the chocolate batter. Reverse the process pouring the chocolate batter over the egg whites. Gradually fold the two together making a motion like a figure 8 with the spatula, until all the whites have disappeared. Pour the batter into the pan and smooth the top.
  8. Bake the torte in the center of the oven for about 25 minutes. A cake tester inserted into the center of the torte should come out dry, and will feel lightly firm to the touch.
  9. Cool on a wire rack. Release the sides with a metal spatula if necessary. Remove the ring and release the bottom. Invert torte onto a flat plate, if you want to ice the cake.

PREPARING THE CHOCOLATE ICING:

  1. Place the chocolate into the top of a double boiler. Cover and set over simmering water until the chocolate is melted.
  2. Remove the top of the double boiler and whisk in the butter.
  3. Stir until the chocolate is smooth.
  4. Pour the icing over the top and sides of the cake.

NOTE:

It is easier to separate the eggs straight from the refrigerator, while they are cold, as the egg yolks tend to break as they warm.

I use Bob’s Red Mill finely ground almond flour with skin.  It is readily available in all health food stores.

 
 

Large Flourless Chocolate Almond Torte

Makes 16-18 servings.

If you are expecting a large crowd this dessert is delicious cake to serve. It is light and not too sweet, and I like to serve it with berries and chocolate sorbet.  The cake freezes very well too. Be sure to wrap it in wax paper, foil and place in a Ziploc before putting it in the freezer.

INGREDIENTS

  • ½ pound blanched almonds
  • 6 ounces high quality imported semisweet chocolate, broken into small pieces
  • 12 tablespoons unsalted margarine at room temperature, cut into small pieces plus 2 tablespoons for greasing the pan
  • 8 large eggs, at room temperature
  • 1 cup plus 1½ tablespoons sugar
  • 1 vanilla bean, cut lengthwise and scrape off the seed (See Note)
  • 1/3 cup sifted unsweetened, imported cocoa powder

PREPARATION

  1. Preheat oven to 325F.
  2. Grease a 12x2½ inches spring form pan with margarine. Line it with wax paper and grease the paper.
  3. Grind almonds finely, almost like flour in the food processor.
  4. Place chocolate and margarine into a double boiler set over simmering water. Melt the chocolate until smooth, remove the top and cool.
  5. Beat the egg yolks in an electric mixer using a balloon whisk, at medium speed, adding 1 cup sugar gradually until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes.
  6. With the motor off fold in almonds, chocolate, vanilla seeds and cocoa. Combine well with a large rubber spatula.
  7. Beat the egg whites in an electric mixer, at high speed, until small peaks show. Now add the 1½ tablespoon sugar until stiff. With a large rubber spatula, fold half of the whites into the chocolate mixture. Reverse the process and spoon the chocolate over the whites. Gently fold the two together making a motion like a figure 8 until just combined.
  8. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake in the center of the oven for about 35 minutes. A cake tester inserted in the center should come out almost dry.
  9. Cool on a wire rack. Remove the rim and invert unto a serving platter. Discard the wax paper.

NOTE

Vanilla beans should be cut horizontally to expose the inside seeds. Use the tip of a knife to collect the seeds. If you only need half of the seeds of a bean, simply cut the bean in half, before you cut it open.  

 
 

Flourless Chocolate Almond Torte

Makes 12 servings.

This cake is good to keep in your repertoire any time of the year and particularly for Passover. It is gluten free, easy to make and it remains moist refrigerated. I like to serve it with raspberries and chocolate sorbet, but it is equally delicious with other fruits and other sorbets or even on its own.

INGREDIENTS

  • 4 ounces Smart Balance (See Note)

    7 ounces high quality imported semi-sweet chocolate, broken into small pieces

    ½ teaspoon almond extract

    5 large eggs, at room temperature (See Note)

    ¾ cup sugar

    5 ounces skinless almonds, semi-finely ground (See Note)

PREPARATION

  1. Preheat oven to 350F. 

  2. Line a 9 x 2½ inch spring form with parchment paper, making sure that the paper extends a little over the rim to make it easier to lift.  

  3. Place the chocolate and the Smart Balance in the top of a double boiler. Cover and set over simmering water until chocolate and the Smart Balance are melted, stir from time to time. Remove the top of the double boiler and cool a bit. 

  4. Place the egg yolks in the bowl of an electric stand mixer. Using the balloon whisk attachment, beat the yolks at medium speed for about 5 minutes, while gradually adding the sugar.  The yolks will become pale and bubbly. 

  5. With a rubber spatula, add the almond extract, the melted chocolate, and the almonds. Combine well.  

  6. Beat egg whites in the mixer bowl at high speed until stiff.  

  7. With a rubber spatula, fold half of the egg whites into the chocolate batter. Reverse the process, pouring the chocolate batter over the egg whites. Gradually fold the batters together making a motion like a figure 8 until all the egg whites have disappeared.

  8. Pour the batter into the pan and smooth the top. 

  9. Bake the torte in the center of the oven for 25 to 30 minutes. When it’s ready, a cake tester inserted in the center of the torte will come out almost dry.   

  10. Cool on a wire rack. 

  11. Keep refrigerated.

NOTES:

Smart Balance is a pareve buttery spread which I substitute for margarine.

It is easier to separate the eggs straight from the refrigerator, while they are cold, as the egg yolk tends to break as they warm.

When the recipe calls for stiffly beaten egg whites, the best way to know whether they are fully beaten is to tilt the bowl.  They will stay in the bowl, even when the bowl is tilted.  If the egg whites are not beaten enough the whites will start to slide out.

I grind the almonds in a food processor fitted with the steel blade. No need to do it in batches when it is such a small amount of almonds.  

When slicing the cake, you may need to wash the knife from time to time.