Flourless Chocolate Cake (gluten-free and adapted from Tyler Florence)

Flourless Chocolate Cake (photo by Lauren Phegley)

Flourless Chocolate Cake (photo by Lauren Phegley)

My friend Pam Granlund told me about this cake so I had to try it. It's gluten-free (hence the "flourless" part) and so creamy and delicious. Think rich, chocolatey, smooth and silky.

There are so many ways to complement this rich cake...fresh raspberry puree, homemade vanilla ice cream, or chocolate sauce if you want to slip into a chocolate coma. This time, I opted for whipped cream....mmm.

This is a Tyler Florence recipe, and here's how I made it:

Serves 6-8


Oven 350 degrees F


Special equipment: 9-inch springform pan, buttered


Ingredients:
1 pound bittersweet chocolate, in small pieces (I used Ghirardelli)

8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter

9 large eggs, yolks and whites separated (yolks in one bowl, whites in another)

3/4 cup plus 1 Tablespoon sugar

Confectioners sugar, for dusting

Melt chocolate pieces and butter together until smooth in double boiler or heat-proof glass bowl fitted over pan of simmering water. While chocolate is melting, whisk or beat the egg yolks with the sugar until light yellow in color.

Slowly mix the melted chocolate with the yolks, tempering the yolk mixture by whisking in a little of the chocolate mixture at a time so as not to cook the yolks.

In a separate bowl, beat the egg whites until stiff peaks form (see Cook's note). This may take a few minutes. Fold egg whites into chocolate mixture and pour into buttered springform pan.

Bake for 30 - 35 minutes until toothpick inserted into the cake comes out with moist crumbs. Do not overbake. This cake is best when creamy/soft on the inside. Let stand 10 minutes then release sides of pan. When cake is completely cooled, dust with confectioners sugar.

Cook's note: If desired, you may add a small amount of cream of tartar to the egg whites which will help stabilize the whites and form the peaks. Once the peaks are formed use the egg whites immediately. If you allow them to sit too long they will lose their volume and you will have to begin again with fresh egg whites.