Flourless Chocolate Cake

Adapted from Country Living Magazine, this cake really hits the spot for anyone’s serious chocolate “fix”… without any GF worries.

Cake:
5 large eggs
8-1 ounce bittersweet chocolate squares
⅔ cup almonds, finely ground
½ cup unsalted butter
⅔ cup cane sugar
Chocolate Sauce (optional):
6-1 ounce bittersweet chocolate squares
½ cup heavy GF cream

 
Heat oven to 350°F. Oil an 8 inch spring form pan.

Separate eggs*, placing whites in a medium bowl, and yolks in a large bowl. Bring to room temperature.

In top of double boiler, over hot but not boiling water, heat chocolate and butter, stirring constantly, until melted. Set aside to cool.

With electric mixer on high speed, beat egg whites until stiff peaks form. Set egg whites aside. Using same beaters, beat egg yolks and sugar until thick and pale yellow, about 5 minutes. Stir almonds and chocolate mixture into yolk mixture. Then gently fold this mixture into the egg whites. Pour batter evenly into pan. Bake until cake springs back when gently touched with fingertip: 25-30 minutes. Cool 10 minutes on wire rack.
Remove ring from spring form pan and let cake cool 10 minutes more on wire rack.

Chocolate Sauce: In top of double boiler, over hot, not boiling, water, heat chocolate and heavy cream, stirring constantly, until melted and well combined. (Any pastry glaze will work also) Let cool slightly, then frost cake with this mixture, after placing it onto serving plate. Let cool.

Notes: * I also prepared this recipe without separating the eggs. Omit this step and it works just fine.

Makes: One layer cake that serves approximately eight. 

This recipe is from my cookbook: "Delicious! The Very Best of Gluten Free and Wheat Free Cooking. For other wonderful recipes, my cookbook is available at:   

http://www.celiacdiseaseinfo.org

http://www.amazon.com/Delicious-Cooking-Collection-Celiacs-Sensitive/dp/0615305709/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1282852260&sr=1-

Chocolate Torte

A torte is a rich cake made with little or no flour. Works for me; how about you?! This one is almost like eating a candy bar.

¾ cup GF flour blend

1/3 cup cocoa

Pinch of sea salt

¼ t. baking soda

8 ounces semi sweet or bittersweet chocolate*

¾ cup unsalted butter (1½ sticks)

1¼ cups sugar

1 t. GF vanilla extract

3 eggs, beaten

½ cup buttermilk

1 cup toasted walnuts, separated**

Glaze (optional)

4 ounces semisweet or bittersweet chocolate

½ cup heavy cream

Heat oven to 350˚F. Use a non-stick 9 or 10 inch cake pan; no smaller.

In a small bowl, whisk the flour, cocoa, salt and baking soda a set aside. 

Microwave chocolate and butter in a medium-sized bowl for one minute, stirring halfway though. Continue microwaving for 15 second intervals and stir mixture until smooth. 

Whisk in sugar and vanilla, then stir in beaten eggs, buttermilk and ¾ cup of the walnuts. Mix in the dry ingredients until just combined.

Pour batter into cake pan, tapping the pan against your countertop to assist in removing air bubbles. Bake for 60-70 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Remove to a wire rack and cool in pan for five minutes, then invert cake onto wire rack and cool completely.

Glaze: Place chocolate in a small bowl. Heat cream just until simmering and pour over chocolate. Stir until smooth and chocolate is completely melted. Pour glaze over cake and smooth over top and sides. Pat remaining ¼ cup of walnuts around the top of the cake. Serve cake when glaze is firm.

Notes:*I used a portion of a Trader Joes giant-size Belgium chocolate bar. **I used black walnuts.

Option: Instead of the chocolate glaze, I prepared a berry glaze with mixed (thawed) frozen berries, 2 T. of seedless raspberry preserves, and 1 T. of raspberry liquor and drizzled this mixture over the top of each serving. Decadent!

Makes: Eight to sixteen servings.

This recipe is from my cookbook: "Delicious! The Very Best of Gluten Free and Wheat Free Cooking. It is available at:   

http://www.celiacdiseaseinfo.org

http://www.amazon.com/Delicious-Cooking-Collection-Celiacs-Sensitive/dp/0615305709/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1282852260&sr=1-