Whether you like them for the lack of white, refined flour in them, your diet or just for the deep dark chocolately goodness they bring, flourless cakes are back in the limelight again. Popular years ago, they fell out of fashion for a bit and now seem to be back bigger and better than ever!I didn't remember to take a picture of my last flourless chocolate cake before my crew dove into it and rendered it invisible so I had to find a random chocolate photo for you from a search engine.
The eggs are important in this recipe as it's the only thing that is going to give this recipe any height. Be sure to incorporate them without breaking them down.
Flourless Chocolate Cake
1 pound semisweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
2 sticks real butter, cut into ½-inch cubes
¼ c Kahlua
8 large eggs
¼ c sugar
2 t vanilla
½ t salt
Whipped Cream for garnish (or confection's sugar or cocoa powder)
Grease a 9-inch springform pan and line bottom with parchment paper. Wrap the springform pan along the bottom and sides with heavy duty aluminum foil. Place pan in a roasting pan.
Combine the chocolate, butter, and Kahlua in a metal bowl set over simmering water or in the top of a double boiler. Melt the mixture, stirring constantly, until smooth and creamy, about 5 minutes. Set aside.
Meanwhile combine eggs, sugar, vanilla, and salt in a large bowl and beat with an electric mixer until frothy and almost doubled in volume, about 5 minutes. Fold one-third of egg mixture into chocolate mixture using a rubber spatula. Repeat this process two more times, until all of egg mixture has been folded into chocolate mixture.
Pour batter into prepared springform pan and using the pan of boiling/simmering water from under your bowl, pour enough boiling water to come about halfway up the sides of the pan. Bake at 325 degrees until the cake has risen slightly and edges are just beginning to set, about 25 minutes. Remove cake from roasting pan and cool on wire rack to room temperature. Remove foil, cover, and refrigerate overnight.
Remove cake from refrigerator about 30 minutes before serving. Remove springform pan sides, invert cake onto a large plate, and peel away parchment paper from bottom. Reinvert cake on another large plate or serving platter and garnish with whipped cream stars, confectioners' sugar or cocoa powder immediately before serving.
