Sunday 23 June 2013

Gluten Free!!!

Flourless Chocolate Torte



This chocolate torte is such a delight with its lightness and chocolately-but-not-too-sweet flavour. It is best served with soft whipped cream and berries. Great for people who don't like rich or dense deserts. Very simple recipe and a small amount to ingredients. 

It can be served with a chocolate ganache for the extra sweet-toothed eaters out there but I prefer without. 

Here's how:

Ingredients:


6 large eggs seperated

1 cup unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
9 ounces of semi-sweet or bittersweet chocolate (The best quality you can find)
1 cup granulated sugar
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
1/4 cream of tartar

Steps:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F

Place rack in middle of oven
Butter a 9x3 inch springform pan, which is this -->

Separate the egg yolks and egg whites in 2 bowls and cover and bring to room temperature.
Melt the Butter and chocolate together in a bowl over a pot of simmering water so you don't burn the chocolate and make it dry and cool to room temperature. (This step is important because later, when you add the eggs, you don't want them to cook in the hot chocolate)

Place the egg yolks in a bowl with 1/2 cup of granulated sugar and beat with an electric mixer until the mixture is until thick and lemon coloured. It will take up to 5 minutes and the mixture will have at least tripled in volume.
Add the vanilla and chocolate mixture and beat until smooth.

In a clean separate bowl, beat the egg whites until foamy and then add 1/4 tsp of cream of tartar. Continue beating until soft peaks form and then add 1/2 cup of granulated sugar. Continue beating until tiff peaks form.
With a spatula, incorporate the egg whites with the chocolate a bit at a time by folding it into the mixture using large strokes. (Don't overmix or the batter will deflate and lose all the lightness and volume)

Poor the batter into the pan and bake for 50-60 minutes, or until toothpick inserted in the middle comes out with a few moist crumbs.
Cool on a cooling rack for 10 minutes, then remove the sides of the pan and cool completely before serving.






When the cake comes out of the oven, it will have risen quite a bit. As it cools, it will sink a bit in the middle but that's normal. It will also have cracks on the top.