Chocolate Almond Flourless Torte
Submitted by JsCookin
A dense, fudgy flourless chocolate torte with ground almonds and cognac. Naturally gluten-free, baked low and slow for a rich, truffle-like texture. Serve with whipped cream and raspberries.
YIELD
1 cakePREP
30 minCOOK
30 minREADY
1 hrsWhen you want a dessert that stops the room, this is it. Ten ounces of bittersweet chocolate, butter, ground almonds, and cognac folded into cloud-like whipped egg whites. No flour. No filler. Just pure, concentrated chocolate intensity.
Baked low and slow, it emerges with a crackly top and a dense, truffle-like interior that’s somewhere between a mousse and a brownie.
Dust it with sugar and serve with a dollop of whipped cream and fresh raspberries. It’s naturally gluten-free, so everyone at the table can dig in.
Chef Tips
- Melt the chocolate over hot (not boiling) water and let it cool slowly; overheated chocolate turns grainy
- Beat the butter and sugar until nearly white for the lightest texture possible
- Fold the egg whites in gently with a rubber spatula; deflated whites mean a dense, heavy torte
- The tester should come out with a thick, moist, crumbly coating. Not wet, not clean. That sweet spot in between is where the magic is
- Let it cool 30 minutes in the pan before turning out; too soon and it falls apart
Ingredients
Directions
Preheat oven to 300 degrees and grease well a 9-inch springform pan and line bottom with parchment paper.
Melt the chocolate in a double boiler over hot, not boiling water.
When the chocolate is melted, turn off the heat and leave it over the hot water to cool slowly.
Meanwhile in a large bowl, beat the butter with ¼ cup of the sugar until the mixture is fluffy and almost white.
Add egg yolks and beat for 1 minute.
Add the almonds and cognac and beat 2 minutes more.
In a separate bowl, beat the egg whites until light and foamy while gradually adding the remaining ¼ cup sugar.
Continue beating the whites until they are stiff and shiny.
Add the melted chocolate to the egg yolk mixture and mix with a rubber spatula until well combined.
Fold in ¼ of this chocolate mixture into the egg whites; then gradually fold the egg whites back into the rest of the chocolate mixture, taking care not to deflate the batter.
Pour the mixture into the prepared pan and bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until a tester comes out covered with a thick, moist, not wet, and crumby coating.
Allow cake to cool for 30 minutes in the pan.
Loosen the edges with a knife and carefully turn the cake out onto a plate.
Remove the parchment paper.
Sprinkle with the sugar.
Serve at room temperature or chilled with whipped cream and raspberries on the side.
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