Fudgy Flourless Chocolate Cake
Submitted by deadlady
Flourless chocolate cake made with 9 ounces of semi-sweet chocolate, 7 eggs, and butter. Dense, fudgy, and naturally gluten-free with just 5 ingredients.
YIELD
1 cakePREP
25 minCOOK
60 minREADY
2 hrsFive ingredients. No flour. Nine ounces of semi-sweet chocolate and seven eggs doing all the work. This is a cake that’s basically a baked chocolate mousse: dense, intensely fudgy, and rich enough that a thin wedge with a dollop of whipped cream is all anyone needs.
The technique is classic French. Melt chocolate and butter together over a double boiler, temper the egg yolks into the warm chocolate, then fold in stiffly beaten egg whites sweetened with sugar. The whites are the only leavening. They give the cake its lift and that slightly crackly top that splits open as it cools.
Baking low and slow at 250°F (120°C) for nearly an hour keeps the center fudgy and almost truffle-like. The cake is done when the center is set but still jiggles when you nudge the pan. It firms up completely as it cools and chills.
Chef Tips
- Temper the egg yolks by adding a small amount of warm chocolate to them first. Dumping cold yolks into hot chocolate seizes the mixture.
- Beat the whites to stiff, glossy peaks but stop before they turn dry and grainy. Dry whites won’t fold smoothly.
- Fold the chocolate into the whites carefully. Rough mixing deflates the air you just beat in.
- Refrigerate until completely cold before slicing. This cake is meant to be served chilled.
Variations
- Dust the top with cocoa powder or powdered sugar instead of whipped cream for a cleaner presentation.
- Add a teaspoon of espresso powder to the melted chocolate for a deeper, more complex flavor.
- Use bittersweet chocolate instead of semi-sweet for a darker, less sweet version.
Ingredients
Directions
Generously coat 8-inch round by 3-inch deep cake pan or springform pan using 1 tablespoon of the butter.
Dust pan with flour; refrigerate until needed.
Put chocolate and remaining 6 tablespoons butter into top of double boiler set over simmering water.
Cook and stir until well mixed and melted.
Mix egg yolks in small bowl; add a little of the warm chocolate; stir well.
Scrape mixture into remaining chocolate and stir well; then set aside in warm place, uncovered.
Heat oven to 250 degrees F.
Beat egg whites and salt in large mixer bowl until soft peaks form.
Beat in sugar, 1 teaspoon at a time, until stiff and glossy, but not dry.
Scrape chocolate mixture over egg whites; fold together carefully but thoroughly. Spoon batter into pan.
Bake until center is set but still wiggles, 50 to 60 minutes.
Cool on wire racks 10 minutes. As it begins to cool, cake will pull away from side of pan.
Remove sides of springform or, if using ordinary cake pan, invert cake onto serving plate to cool.
Cool completely. Refrigerate until cold.
Cut cake in wedges. Serve each wedge topped with a large dollop of whipped cream.
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