Flourless Chocolate Torte- This flourless chocolate cake recipe is fudgy, and melts in your mouth with a delicate texture from roasted almond meal. No chocoholic can resist this gluten free delight.
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Easy Flourless Chocolate Almond Torte with freshly whipped Chantilly cream and caramel sauce
One cannot help but marvel at how such minimalistic ingredients can yield such extraordinary results. It's like magic unfolding before your eyes (and taste buds). Whether enjoyed alone or paired with a dollop of freshly whipped cream or a drizzle of raspberry coulis for added finesse, this torte promises to be an unforgettable experience for all dessert enthusiasts.
This recipe is one of our many sweet treats, including raspberry buckle, and croissant bread pudding.
Origin of an Italian Classic
As the legend goes, a baker on the island of Capri in Italy either didn't have any flour, or forgot to add it, (depending on who you ask), and the Torta Caprese was the result. This classic Italian chocolate almond cake became gluten free before gluten was even understood!
As the years have gone by, we have focused more on healthy eating by choice, and of course, a gluten free diet for those of us with that dietary restriction.
Without all of that flour to get in the way, it allows for the fudgy, melt in your mouth properties of pure cocoa to really shine through. When I've featured this one on restaurant menus, the whole staff would clamber over each other, munching on the scraps after making petite portions for the guests.
My personal favorite is the outer crust. It forms a paper thin layer on the exterior due to the egg whites in the recipe that is somewhat unique. From the appearance, it looks as though to be cracker crisp, but beyond the slight resistance in the bite is an instantaneous melting sensation. Very sensuous and decadent.
That crust will crack and form fissures along the top. Don't fret about this appearance, it is all part of the luxurious mouthfeel.
I included crunchy roasted almond pieces as opposed to the traditional almond flour for a textural mix-up, but you can use whatever your favorite nut is, or leave them out entirely if you or your loved ones have an allergy, or just don't care for them.
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Ingredients
- Dark Chocolate Chunks - we like to use 62% cocoa pieces, dark and bitter, for the lush flavor.
- Butter - unsalted, so as not to lose precision in seasoning.
- Sugar - white and granulated. brown sugar would have too much moisture.
- Vanilla Extract - Madagascar beans, processed in the bourbon style.
- Almonds - toasted for crunch and flavor, and then ground.
- Eggs - we prefer to use free range and vegetarian feed, it's just more natural.
Instructions For Flourless Chocolate Torte
Prepare the springform pan by buttering the interior and cutting out a round piece of parchment to fit the bottom.
Here is what the finished pan should look like. Notice the folds on the paper round, that is how the circle is formed, using the center of the pan as a fulcrum, and folding around as a triangle, like shown in the last picture.
In a heat safe bowl over simmering water, (bain marie), combine the chocolate and butter.
Stir to combine as shown, adding the almonds and vanilla extract.
Separate the eggs, placing the whites into the bowl being used by the mixer.
whip together half of the sugar and the egg yolks until thick and pale yellow. Do not let the yolks and sugar sit together at all without commencing to whip, as it will dehydrate the yolks, causing them to form a tough skin.
Whip together the other half of the sugar and the egg whites, starting with the whites alone. When they start to maintain a frothy appearance, add the sugar gradually while the mixer is running. Stop when a soft peaks consistency is achieved.
Add the whites to the chocolate and carefully fold together with a rubber spatula until just mixed. Do not over mix or agitate the mixture, as the whites are the only leavening agent to make for the right finished texture.
After it's finished baking, make sure to let it cool on a rack before removing from the pan.
Helpful Hint
Remember that the egg whites are what lightens the texture of this sinfully rich chocolate torte. Take care when folding them into the batter to no over mix them. It's vital that the air bubbles from whipping stay as intact as possible.
If you find yourself yearning for a dessert that will transport you to chocolate heaven while accommodating gluten-free lifestyles, the flourless chocolate almond torte is your answer. With its delightful combination of rich flavors and textures, it's sure to become a staple in your repertoire of indulgent treats.
Variations
There are a number of different ways to make this torte:
- In place of vanilla, you can sub flavored liqueur or even dark rum
- As mentioned earlier, use your favorite nut/s or omit them
Chef Tip
Cutting this torte into slices can be a bit daunting. It's so fudgy and moist that it will stick to the knife. In order to avoid this being an issue, run hot water over your knife to warm it up. Use a dry towel to dry it and cut the torte, repeating this process each time. This way you can get clean cuts without them tearing apart from sticking too much.
Storage
You can make this dessert as much as a full day ahead and store it covered at room temperature.
Any left overs should be tightly wrapped and stored in the fridge. This will keep the torte fresh for about 6 to 7 days.
More Inspiration
Bake Shop
- Authentic Key West Florida Key Lime Pie Recipe
- No Bake Gluten Free Lemon Lavender Cheesecake
- Brioche Cinnamon Rolls with Blueberry-Web Story
- Brioche Cinnamon Rolls with Blueberry and Cream Cheese Frosting
Recipe
Flourless Chocolate Almond Torte
Equipment
- 1 10 inch springform pan
- 1 Rubber Spatula
- 1 Measuring Spoon Set
- 1 Measuring cup set
- 1 mixer can be a stand mixer or hand held ( if it is hand held you will need one more mixing bowl)
- 1 wire whip/whisk
- 1 heat safe bowl form melting the butter and chocolate
- 1 small saucepan (4 quarts) for creating a water bath for melting the butter and chocolate
- 1 Mixing Bowl
- 1 piece of parchment paper
- 1 scissors
- 1 blender or food processor for processing the nuts
- 1 Cooling rack
Ingredients
- 12 ounces dark chocolate or semi sweet chocolate chips or chunks
- 8 ounces butter unsalted
- 1½ cups sugar
- 2 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 8 ounces ground roasted almonds
- 9 each eggs cold cold eggs are easier to separate
Instructions
- Grease your springform pan with softened butter or coat with pan release spray
- Fold your parchment paper in half, and in half again, then fold on an angle creating a triangle
- Place the tip of the triangle in the center of the pan, using scissors cut off the excess hanging off the edge of the pan. creating a circle that fits in the bottom of the pan
- Preheat your oven to 350℉
- Place water in your sauce pan filling it half way up, bring water to a simmer
- Place the chocolate and the butter into a heat safe bowl, place the bowl over the pot of simmering water
- Place the almonds into a blender or food processor to grind, chop until small pieces, be careful to not create paste ( use the pulse option to help with this)
- Remove the chocolate and butter mixture from the heat, and mix together with a rubber spatula
- When the mixture is smooth, add the ground almonds and vanilla extract, stir to combine evenly
- Using the bowl of your stand mixer and another mixing bowl ( two mixing bowls if you are using a hand held mixer) separate the eggs placing the whites into the bowl for your stand mixer or the bowl you will use with your hand held mixer. place the egg yolks into a separate mixing bowl
- Add half of the sugar to the egg yolks and using the wire whip vigorously whisk the yolks and sugar together until smooth and pale ( be very careful to not let the sugar sit on the egg yolks at all! The sugar will begin to cure the egg yolk creating hard lumps that will not combine with the mixture)
- Fold the melted chocolate mixture into the egg yolk and sugar mixture, and set aside
- Fitted with the whip attachment use your mixer to whip the egg whites until foamy. The with the mixer going add the remaining sugar in a steady stream. Continue whipping the egg white sugar mixture until soft peaks form
- Fold the egg white mixture into the melted chocolate egg yolk mixture, being careful not to over mix and deflate the egg white mixture
- Place the mixture into the prepared springform pan ( don't be discouraged it doesn't look beautiful at this state) place the pan in the center rack of your preheated oven, and bake for 35 minutes
- Remove the torte from the oven and place on a cooling rack, don't be nervous if the top cracks its part of the delicious texture of this dessert
- Cool on a rack for 30 minutes and then place in the refrigerator for about an hour, chilling it makes it easier to cut into portions. When cutting use a warm knife wiping with a wet cloth in between cuts so you can have nice pretty pieces to enjoy! ( use the same cutting technique you would use to cut cheese cake)
Jason says
classic