Cooking Lesson #764: Flourless Chocolate Cake

…from the Perspectives’ Kitchen

How you doin’? Tomorrow evening ends the weeklong Jewish celebration of Passover. To observe the holiday Jews around the world do not eat products made with leavening. If you’re a bread eater, you’re out of luck—this is strictly a Matzo holiday—no bread. If you’re a sweet eater there are many choices with Flourless Chocolate Cake being the favorite for many observers and non-observers who may also have a gluten intolerance.
 
Among cake eaters, there are those who love the flourless chocolate cake in theory but pass on it because of its dense reality—more like a heavy chocolate ganache. My recipe version is perfect for them. It retains the bold interplay of bitter cocoa and sweet sugar that made the dessert famous, but all the heaviness is gone, thanks to the way some the way the eggs are incorporated with the other ingredients. When the cake comes out of the oven, it looks cracked and dry, but don’t fret, the inside will be soft and delicate. We think you will agree that running the knife through the perfectly light texture is super satisfying.
 
The topping is made with a combination of mascarpone, heavy cream and confectioners’ sugar—it too is light and airy. It is subtle, with dairy sweetness notes—it melts in your mouth with each bite of cake.
 
Make my Flourless Chocolate Cake for any special occasions. It’s decadent and special, but it’s so lightly sweet — and yes, even a little fluffy, too—that it’s the perfect end to a celebratory meal.
 
Prep time:  25 minutes
Bake time:  35 to 40 minutes
Cool time:  20 to 30 minutes
Yield:  8 servings
 
Ingredients 
1/2 stick unsalted butter, diced, plus more for buttering the pan
3/4 cup, plus 2 tablespoons granulated sugar, divided, plus more for coating pan
10 ounces roughly chopped bittersweet chocolate (I prefer Guittard chocolate)
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
4 large eggs, separated—yolks and whites
2 large eggs
2 tablespoons unsweetened dark cocoa powder (Guittard is best)
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract (not imitation vanilla)
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1 cup chilled heavy cream
1/2 cup mascarpone
3 tablespoons confectioner’s sugar (I usually sift)
8 raspberries
 
Directions 
To make the cake

1. Preheat an oven to 350°.
2. Lightly butter a springform pan and dust it with sugar, tapping out any excess.
3. In a large, heatproof bowl, combine the butter, chocolate, and oil.
4. Set the bowl over a saucepan of simmering water and heat, stirring often, until melted.
5. Remove the bowl from the saucepan and let it cool for 10 minutes.
6. In another large bowl, combine the egg yolks, whole eggs, cocoa powder, vanilla extract, salt and 1/4 cup of the sugar and whisk until the mixture is smooth.
7. Gradually whisk the yolk mixture into the melted chocolate mixture, blending well.
8. Using a stand mixer on high speed, beat the egg whites until they’re frothy.
9. With the mixer running, gradually beat in 1/2 cup of the sugar. Continue beating until stiff peaks form.
10. Gently fold the egg whites into the chocolate mixture in 2 additions, folding just until incorporated.
11. Transfer the batter into the prepared pan, smooth the top, and sprinkle on the remaining 2 tablespoons of sugar.
12. Bake until the top is puffed and starts to crack and the cake pulls away from the edge of the pan, 35 to 45 minutes.
13. Transfer the cake to a wire rack and let it cool completely in the pan. The cake will collapse in the center as it cools.

​To make the topping and top the cake

1. In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat together the whipping cream, mascarpone, and powdered sugar on medium-high speed until soft peaks form.
2. Remove the sides of the springform pan.
3. Use a dollop of whipped cream topping in the center of each piece of cut cake, top with a raspberry and serve immediately.

ChefSecret:  The cake can be made 1 day ahead. Cover the pan in plastic wrap and store it at room temperature.

Quip of the Day:  Q. How do you drive your mother completely insane on Passover? A. It’s really a piece of cake!
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Do you have a question or comment? Send your favorite recipes, pictures or thoughts to [email protected]. Recipes and cooking tips are posted on our website https://www.perspectives-la.com/covid-19-survival-guide.
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To you and everyone dear to you, be strong, positive, stay well, stay safe and be kind. Take a breath and count your blessings, and if you have a little extra to share with others, please consider donating to  Feeding America, Tunnel to Towers, Union Rescue Mission and/or American Red Cross.

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