Flourless Chocolate Cake

Flourless Chocolate Cake

Ingredients:

·      2 sticks unsalted butter

·      8 ounces semisweet chocolate

·      1 teaspoon vanilla extract

·      1 1/4 cups granulated sugar

·      1 cup unweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder

·      1/2 teaspoon salt

·      6 large eggs

Directions:  

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  Grease a 10″ round springform pan, and line the bottom with parchment paper.  Grease the parchment, too.  If you want to make individual cakes, you can use 8-10 small ramekins (no need to grease them).

In a small saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat.  Once melted, remove from heat and stir in the semisweet chocolate, continuing to stir until chocolate is smooth and fully melted.  Add the vanilla extract and stir to combine.  Set aside.

In a large bowl, whisk together the sugar, cocoa powder, espresso powder, and salt.  Add the eggs and whisk thoroughly until smooth.  Add the chocolate/butter mixture to the sugar/cocoa/egg mixture, and whisk until well incorporated.  Pour batter into prepared pan (or divide among ramekins, filling each 3/4 full), and bake until a tester comes out with just a few moist crumbs, 40 – 45 minutes (check sooner if using ramekins, they should be done after only 30-35 minutes).

Allow the cake to cool in the pan on a rack (cake will fall a bit in the center).  Once completely cool, run a knife around the edge of the pan before releasing cake from springform (if using ramekins, you don’t need to invert them – they can be eaten straight out of the dish).  Serve dusted with powdered sugar, alongside fat spoonfuls of lightly sweetened whipped cream or your favorite ice cream (vanilla is good, coffee is better).  This cake will keep for a few days well-wrapped in the refrigerator.

Makes one 10″ cake (or 8-10 small ramekin cakes), serves 8-10.