Flourless Chocolate Mousse Cake

Reposted from last April for Passover.

This cake is unlike most flourless chocolate cake recipes. Instead of being dense and overly rich, this cake is light, fudgy, and delicious. I'm not one to look for gluten free or other special diet recipes, but when a delicious recipe happens to be diet inclusive, I'm all for it. Serve this for Passover, to friends with wheat aversions, or on any day you crave chocolate.

adapted from: http://www.marthastewart.com/344293/flourless-chocolate-cake

Ingredients:

• 8oz bittersweet chocolate (Use chocolate bars, chips contain stabilizers----I use Ghirardelli baking chocolate)

• 6 tbsp (85g) unsalted butter

• 6 large eggs

• 1/2 cup (100g) sugar

• 1 tbsp vanilla extract

• 1 tbsp instant espresso powder (optional)

• Pinch of salt

To Serve:

• 1/2 recipe ASB Basics Whipped Cream

• Extra chocolate or cocoa powder

Method:

• Preheat the oven to 275° F (not a typo!), grease a round spring-form pan.

1. In a medium sized (at least a quart) microwave safe bowl, melt the butter and chocolate together in the microwave in 30 second increments, stirring with a fork after each until it is melted. (To make sure not to burn the chocolate, I like to stop when the chocolate still isn't 100% melted because the residual heat will melt it). Stir in the espresso powder. It's okay if it doesn't dissolve totally.

2. Separate the eggs. (I separate the eggs in a small bowl first and then transfer then the whites to big bowl one at a time, and the yolks to another to ensure that all of my whites are yolk-free. The smallest amount of yolk mixed into the whites will keep the whites from whipping up.)

3. Mix the yolks in with the chocolate mixture. Add the vanilla extract.

4. Whip the egg whites and the pinch of salt to soft peaks with a stand mixer, hand mixer, or large whisk.

5. After they reach soft peaks, gradually add the sugar while beating until a thick, glossy meringue is reached.

6. Stir about a cup of the meringue with the chocolate before pouring the chocolate mixture into the meringue and folding it through. Stirring the initial bit lightens up the chocolate mixture and makes it easier to fold and maintain the lightness of the rest of the meringue.

7. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake 45-50 minutes until it pulls away from the sides of the pan and it is set in the middle.

8. Cool to room temperature, release the sides of the pan, top with freshly whipped cream, and use a sieve to decorate with cocoa powder or a microplane grater to shave regular chocolate over the top.

#Passover #GlutenFree