Flourless Chocolate Torte

Flourless Chocolate Torte - made November 20, 2019 from Well Plated

With all the emphasis on things being gluten-free, I laugh whenever I see a flourless chocolate cake being touted as "gluten free". Well, yes, by definition, a flourless chocolate cake IS gluten free. It's the same laugh I got when a restaurant server asked if I wanted their "vegan coconut". Uh, there are non-vegan coconuts out there?

Anyway, the reason for the chuckle is gluten free typically signifies something healthier for you. If you can overlook the butter, sugar and chocolate (but no flour) in this recipe, sure, healthy it is (not).

But if you want an amazing, rich flourless chocolate torte, head to the kitchen. Flourless chocolate tortes (or cakes, however you want to call them) are actually pretty easy to make. Mixing them is no problem. Baking them isn't difficult either but you do have to make sure you take them out at the right time.

Because there's no flour in the batter, you can't rely on the typical cake structure where you can just poke a toothpick in the middle and if it comes out clean, it's done. Instead, with this, you have to check the "jiggle" in the center of the cake. Which means moving it slightly to see how set the middle is. If too much of the middle jiggles, it isn't done yet. If the middle doesn't jiggle at all, it's overbaked. If you overbake it, you won't get the fudgy dense texture of a good flourless chocolate torte. I bake until maybe a 2- to 3-inch diameter in the center still has a bit of jiggle.

The good news is, it's pretty hard to overbake this torte. Look for a drier crust around the edges while the middle still looks moist and has some jiggle. Do not bake until all of the center looks dry; that's when it'll be overbaked.

Once you do take it out, let it cool to room temperature or even chill it if you want to ensure a firm but creamy texture. A good flourless chocolate cake will be a cross between a lighter-textured fudge and a more dense textured mousse. But better.

And I will unabashedly sound like my usual broken record of "use the good chocolate!" I used Valrhona bittersweet which you can get at Trader Joe's for a reasonable price. If you use the cheap, chalky chocolate, it just won't taste the same.

I kept this plain as it was going into my December Angel Baker care packages to deployed service members and I didn't know how long it would be in the mail but if you're serving at a dinner or dessert party, feel free to dust with confectioners' sugar, drizzle with caramel and/or garnish with fresh raspberries or strawberries.

9 ounces good-quality dark chocolate, 65% or higher, finely chopped
9 ounces unsalted butter
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
7 large eggs
1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1 tablespoon Kahlua, optional

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Grease and line a 9-inch springform pan with parchment paper. Grease again.
2. Melt the chocolate and butter together in the top half of a double boiler over hot water. Whisk until smooth and combined. Stir in the sugar then let cool for a few minutes.
3. Add the eggs, one at a time, fully combining between each addition. When all the eggs are added, continue to stir until the batter becomes thick and glossy. Stir in the vanilla extract and Kahlua, if using.
4. Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Bake 30-35 minutes, until the torte jiggles slightly in the middle but is not completely set. Let cool in pan for 10 minutes then unmold. Dust with powdered sugar. Cut into wedges. Serve with whipped cream, berries, or caramel sauce as desired.