Almost Flourless Chocolate Cake Food

ALMOST FLOURLESS CHOCOLATE CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325ºF. Butter and flour a 10-inch-diameter springform pan.
• Put the chocolate and butter in the top of a double boiler so it's over, not in or even touching, the water. While the water simmers gently below, stir the chocolate and butter together until it's all melted and smooth. The reasons not to microwave this mixture or melt it more directly [just flat out dumped in a pot and heated over a flame, for instance] are numerous, but chiefest of them is that you will overheat the mix, which is a very bad thing when you get to the next step:.
• With a big whisk, mix the eggs and refined sugar in a large bowl by hand until everything is well blended and beginning to thicken. Next, sift the flour, salt and baking powder over the egg mixture and, still using the whisk, fold and stir it all together. Now, gradually, add in the chocolate mixture-gently folding it in about 1/4 cup at a time. [This cautious process also helps control the temperature-if the chocolate is too hot, it will start cooking the eggs and ruin the whole thing.].
• Pour the batter into the prepared springform pan. [At this point it is permissible to leave a little batter in the pan, so that, once the cake is in the oven, you can scrape out the bowl with a spatula, lick the spatula and exclaim, man, oh, man.] Put the cake in the oven and set a timer for 20 minutes. When the 20 minutes passes, loosely cover the cake with foil-don't tuck it down tightly, just lay the foil across the top of the pan.
• Bake the cake about 30 minutes longer. Test it, near the center. The tester should come out with a few moist crumbs-not with a glob of raw dough, but not dry either. If necessary, leave the cake in the oven a few minutes more and re-test at intervals.
• Take the cake out of the oven; put it on a rack, still in the springform pan, and remove the foil. The cake will be rather puffy and a little of it may cling to the foil-don't panic! That happens. Walk away for now. As the cake cools, it will fall and flatten out.
• When the cake is completely cool, slide a knife around the edge, then gently release and remove the pan sides.

SINFULLY RICH ALMOST FLOURLESS CHOCOLATE CAKE

Steps:

• Melt together the butter and chocolate in a small saucepan over very low heat, stirring to mix.
• Remove from heat when almost melted (do not scorch).
• Preheat your oven to 300F.
• Fill a 9x13-inch roasting pan or casserole halfway with water and place it on the center shelf of the oven.
• Lightly grease the sides and bottom of a 9x5-inch loaf pan, and dust with 1 teaspoon of flour; and cut out a square of waxed paper to fit the bottom of the pan; place paper in the bottom of pan and set aside.
• Place sugar, eggs and remaining 1 teaspoon of flour into the bowl of an electric mixer and beat on high for about 2 minutes.
• Pour in the chocolate, and beat another 15-30 seconds, until it is mixed well.
• Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan and set the loaf pan in the center of the casserole dish half-filled with water (in the oven).
• Bake for approximately 75 minutes or until a light crust forms and a toothpick can be removed clean.
• Cool the cake in the loaf pan on a wire rack for approximately 30 minutes, or until it cools down to room temp.
• Cover pan and chill in the refrigerator for 4 hours or until set.
• Serve garnished with powdered sugar or fresh raspberries and store unused portions in the refrigerator.

FLOURLESS CHOCOLATE CAKE

Steps:

• Heat the oven to 160C/140C fan/gas 3. Butter a 23cm springform cake tin and line the base with baking parchment.
• Melt the butter and chocolate in a medium heatproof bowl in the microwave or over a pan of gently simmering water. Mix the coffee powder with 2 tbsp hot water until dissolved. Stir the coffee into the chocolate and set aside to cool slightly.
• Whisk the egg whites in a large bowl for 2 mins with an electric whisk until soft peaks form. In another large bowl, whisk both the sugars, the vanilla and egg yolks for 5-8 mins, or until pale and fluffy. Sift the cocoa powder into the egg yolk mixture and mix gently to combine.
• Stir the cooled chocolate into the egg yolk mixture, then gently fold through the egg whites until smooth. Transfer to the tin and bake for 1hr-1hr 20 mins, or until a skewer inserted into the middle of the cake comes out clean. Allow to cool, remove from the tin and serve with fresh berries, if you like.

FLOURLESS CHOCOLATE & ALMOND CAKE

Steps:

• Heat the oven to 180C/160C fan/ gas 4 and line the base of a 20cm springform tin with baking parchment. Melt the chocolate and butter in a heatproof bowl set over a pan of just-simmering water, or in the microwave in 20-second bursts. Stir, then leave to cool slightly.
• Meanwhile, tip the eggs and sugar into a second bowl and beat with an electric whisk for 4-5 mins, or until thick and creamy. Add the mascarpone or soft cheese and vanilla, and continue to beat until everything is combined. Lightly fold in the cooled melted chocolate mixture until everything is one even colour, then fold in the almonds. Sift over the cocoa powder and a small pinch of salt, and fold in to combine.
• Scrape the cake batter into the prepared tin. Put the tin on a baking tray and bake for 35-40 mins until the cake is puffed up and has cracked on top. Remove from the oven and leave to cool in the tin for 30-40 mins - it will deflate as it cools. Serve warm as a chocolate pudding, or leave to cool completely and enjoy as a fudgy brownie cake. Dust with extra cocoa powder before serving.