Flourless Chocolate Torte

16 ounces bittersweet chocolate*

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter

6 large eggs, room temperature

*Guittard, Ghiradelli or Callebaut: step away from the Nestle

Equipment: One 8-inch spring form pan buttered, and lined with buttered parchment or wax paper on the bottom; outside of pan wrapped with a double layer of heavy-duty foil. Roasting pan to serve as a water bath.

Stand mixer with whisk attachment or hand mixer

Preheat the oven to 425°

 

1.  Melt chocolate and butter in microwave safe bowl, stirring every 20 seconds until mixture is smooth.  Be careful not to burn the chocolate.

2.  Add eggs to stand mixer bowl and set over a pan of simmering water and heat the eggs, stirring constantly with a wire whisk, until just warm to the touch.

3.  Move bowl to the stand mixer and with the whisk attachment on high speed, beat about 5 minutes until triple in volume and the eggs are fluffy and lighter in color.

4.  Use a rubber spatula to fold half the eggs into the chocolate mixture until almost evenly incorporated.  Fold in the remaining eggs until almost no streaks remain. Use a rubber spatula to finish folding, scraping up the mixture from the bottom to make sure the all chocolate mixture gets incorporated.

5.  Scrape the mixture into the prepared pan and set it in the larger pan. Place it in the oven and add 1 inch of hot water to the larger pan. Bake for 5 minutes then cover it loosely with a sheet of buttered foil and bake another 10 minutes. (It will wobble when moved.)

6.  Remove the cake pan from the water bath and allow it to cool for about 45 minutes.  Here’s what it will look like:

7.  Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate it until very firm, at least 3 hours.

To unmold the cake:

Have a serving plate that has at least an 8-inch flat center portion and an 8-inch plate, covered with greased plastic wrap.

Use a hot damp towel to wipe the sides of the pan. Run a thin metal spatula around the sides of the torte and release the sides of the spring form pan.

Place the plastic-wrapped plate on top and invert the torte onto it.  Remove the bottom of the spring form pan. Peel off the parchment and re-invert the torte onto the serving plate.

To serve:

Cut the torte, using a thin-bladed knife dipped in hot water between each slice.  This helps to keep the sides smooth and it looks pretty.  Ice cream, whipped cream, anything goes. 

After testing and tweaking tons of flourless chocolate torte recipes, this by far exceeds all exptectations.  Adapted from the Cake Bible.

Enjoy!
MJM

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