Flourless Chocolate Torte Recipe

We ate this dessert on Thanksgiving. We’re going to eat it again this weekend. It was a serious hit then and I can’t wait to indulge again. Scrumptioulicious.

Making a homemade flourless chocolate torte as opposed to buying a package of brownies or chocolates at the market?

The effort in the kitchen pays off, by way of flavor decadence (o.m.g.), control over ingredients and the inevitable time travel daydream into Juliette Binoche’s cafe in Chocolat. I’m positive that THIS torte would be Johnny Depp’s favorite. You’ll agree.

This recipe is full of organic, free range eggs. I drown it in fresh berries. It contains not a flour of any kind. Nor a grain. I prefer this dessert to any other gluten-free flour-based recipe out there. You get your protein, your dark chocolate and a new craving, all in one lil torte. Just plan for a night in the refrigerator, and this will be good to go for you the next day.

The recipe is courtesy of Emeril Lagasse. I omit the amaretto used by Emeril, otherwise the recipe is his, to the T. Pretty much verbatim. It’s amazingly delicious.

One last note: If you don’t have a springform pan that the recipe requires, don’t fret entirely. I didn’t have one either. A cake or pie pan can work too. The torte just won’t come out very easily and might be a bit rough around the edges. Grab a butter knife and start separating torte from pan sides. Eventually, the torte will fall out. The flavor, though, won’t take a back seat. I found this cool glass-base and silicone-sided springform pan at a mere $11 on Amazon, if you’re ready to commit.

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Flourless Chocolate Torte Recipe
Barely adapted from Emiril Lagasse’s recipe on the Food Network

Ingredients

2 sticks (1/2 lb) unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
1/2 Tablespoon unsalted butter (in addition)
1 pound semisweet chocolate (I use Lindt or Ghiradelli)
*Worth noting: Lindt 85% cocoa contains NO soy lethicin. ParTAY!
8 large eggs (use good quality)
1/4 cup sugar (either raw cane or coconut palm sugar)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon sea salt

Garnish options:
Cocoa powder
Fresh raspberries (or favorite fruit)

Do

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Grease a 9-inch springform pan with 1/2 Tablespoon butter, then line bottom with a parchment round. Cover pan underneath and along sides with foil and set in a roasting pan. Bring a medium saucepan of water to boil.

Combine the chocolate and butter in a metal bowl set over simmering water (or in the top of a double boiler). Melt the mixture, stirring constantly, until smooth and creamy, about 5 minutes; set aside.

In a large bowl, combine eggs, sugar, vanilla, and salt. Beat with an electric mixer (I use my stand mixer) until frothy and almost doubled in volume, about 5-10 minutes. Fold 1/3 of the egg mixture into chocolate mixture using a rubber spatula. Repeat this process 2 more times – until all of egg mixture has been folded into chocolate mixture. Do it, dip your finger in and taste it. O.m.g.

Pour batter into prepared springform pan and place in the roasting pan. Pour enough boiling water into the roasting pan to come about halfway up the sides. Bake until cake has risen slightly and edges are just beginning to set, about 40 to 45 minutes. Remove cake from roasting pan and cool on wire rack to room temperature. Remove foil, cover, and refrigerate overnight.

Remove cake from refrigerator about 30 minutes before serving. Remove springform pan sides, invert cake onto a large plate, and peel away the parchment paper from bottom. Reinvert cake on another large plate or serving platter and garnish with cocoa powder and fresh berries immediately before serving.

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