Smitten Kitchen Flourless Chocolate Cake Food

TOWERING FLOURLESS CHOCOLATE CAKE

Steps:

• Make the cake: Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Butter the bottom and sides of a 9-inch springform pan and line the bottom with parchment paper.
• Put the bittersweet and unsweetened chocolate in a heatproof bowl and set over a saucepan of simmering water (do not let the bowl touch the water). Stir until the chocolate melts, then remove the bowl from the pan.
• Put the eggs, turbinado sugar and salt in the bowl of a stand mixer. Set the bowl over the same pan of simmering water and whisk until the mixture is warm, about 2 minutes. Transfer the bowl to the stand mixer; beat with the whisk attachment on medium speed until tripled in volume, about 5 minutes.
• Meanwhile, bring the beer and vanilla to a low boil in a saucepan. Reduce the mixer speed to low; beat in the beer mixture, then the melted chocolate, until combined, about 2 minutes. Gradually beat in the butter until incorporated.
• Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Bake until a toothpick comes out with a few crumbs, about 35 minutes. Cool in the pan on a rack 1 hour, then run a knife around the edge of the pan and remove the ring. Let cool completely.
• Make the meringue: Microwave the chocolate, butter and corn syrup in a microwave-safe bowl in 30-second intervals, stirring, until the chocolate melts.
• Whisk the granulated sugar, egg whites, cream of tartar, salt and 1/3 cup water in a heatproof bowl. Put the bowl over a saucepan of simmering water; beat with a handheld mixer on low speed, then gradually increase the speed to high and beat until soft peaks form, about 5 minutes. Remove the bowl from the pan; continue beating until the meringue is cool and fluffy. Fold in the vanilla, then fold in the melted chocolate until swirled. Spread the meringue on the cake.

FLOURLESS CHOCOLATE CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Spray a 9 by 2-inch spring form pan with nonstick spray.
• Put the chocolate, butter, and salt in a large microwave safe bowl. Melt in the microwave on 75 percent power for 2 minutes. Stir and microwave again until completely melted, about 2 minutes more. Alternatively, put the chocolate and butter in a heatproof bowl. Bring a saucepan filled with an inch or so of water to a very slow simmer; set the bowl on the pan without touching the water. Stir occasionally until melted.
• Beat the eggs and sugar with a standing or handheld mixer until light and thickened, about 8 to 10 minutes. Fold the melted chocolate into the whipped eggs until evenly combined.
• Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out wet but not gooey, about 1 hour and 25 minutes. Remove cake from the oven and cool on a rack.
• When ready to serve remove ring from spring form mold. Dust cake with confectioners' sugar or cocoa powder. Serve with whipped cream or ice cream if desired.
• Beat the cream and vanilla in a chilled non-reactive bowl with a whisk or an electric mixer just until they hold a loose peak. (Lift the beater from the cream and look at the shape of the peak at the end of the whisk; it should hold a lazy curve.) Sift the sugar over the cream and continue to beat just until it holds a soft peak. Take care not to over beat the cream or it will be look curdy. Serve, or refrigerate covered for up to 4 hours.

FLOURLESS CHOCOLATE CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F and butter the inside of a spring-form pan. Melt the chocolate and butter in a medium saucepan over medium-low heat; stirring frequently until smooth. Stir in the sugar, cocoa powder and salt until all of the lumps are gone. Remove from the heat and let cool for a few minutes.
• Meanwhile, beat the egg whites in a large bowl with an electric mixer on medium-high speed until they form stiff peaks, 2 to 3 minutes.
• Stir the egg yolks into the cooled chocolate mixture, then stir in about a quarter of the whipped egg whites. Scrape this lightened chocolate mixture into the remaining whipped egg whites and gently fold until mostly combined (it's ok if there are some streaks of egg white). Pour into the prepared pan and bake until the center of the cake no longer wiggles, 40 to 45 minutes. Let cool completely in the pan, on a wire rack (the cake will deflate slightly). Unlock the pan and dust the top of the cake with some cocoa powder. Cut into slices and serve with whipped cream.