Matt Lewis

Flourless Chocolate Cake with Chocolate Ganache Glaze

Preparation info

  • Difficulty

    Easy

  • Yield:

    1

    ( 9 Inch ) Cake

Appears in

Baked: New Frontiers in Baking

Baked

By Matt Lewis and Renato Poliafito

Published 2008

  • About

The Beauty of a Flourless Chocolate Cake is that it Works Well on Two Completely Different Levels. First, it is very elegant, rich, and bursting with deep chocolate flavor. It can be served at the swankiest of affairs at the end of a serious meal with a great glass of red wine. This is not really a picnic dessert, if you know what we mean. Second, it is a great dessert for those allergic to wheat, as it is completely gluten-free. There are few baked desserts that taste great and are truly gluten-free, and this is one of them.

Ingredients

For the Flourless Chocolate Cake

  • 10 ounces dark chocolate (60 to 70% cacao), coarsely chopped
  • 10 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 7 large eggs, separated
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • 1 teaspoon salt

For the Chocolate Ganache Glaze

  • 9 ounces dark chocolate (60 to 72% cacao), coarsely chopped
  • ½ cup heavy cream
  • ¼ cup light corn syrup
  • 1 tablespoon coffee-flavored liqueur (such as Kahlúa), optional

Method

Make the Flourless Chocolate Cake

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Generously butter the sides and bottom of a 9-inch springform pan. Line the bottom of the pan with parchment paper and butter the parchment.

Using a double boiler or a microwave, melt the chocolate and set it aside to cool.

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter and sugar together on high speed until pale, light, and thoroughly combined, about 5 minutes.

With the mixer on low speed, add the egg yolks, beating well after each addition. After all the egg yolks have been incorporated, scrape down the bowl and beat for 10 more seconds. Add the cooled chocolate and mix until thoroughly combined. Scrape down the bowl, add the vanilla, and beat until just incorporated.

In a large bowl, whisk the egg whites and salt until stiff peaks form. Scoop 1 cup of the egg whites into the chocolate mixture. Use a rubber spatula to gently fold the egg whites into the chocolate mixture. After about 30 seconds of folding, add the remaining egg whites and gently fold in until almost completely combined. Do not rush the folding process.

Pour into the prepared pan and use an offset spatula to smooth the top. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, until the top of the cake seems set or firm to the touch. Be careful not to overbake this cake.

Transfer to a wire rack and let cool completely. Use a small knife to loosen the cake from the sides of the pan. Remove the springform sides. Invert the cake onto the rack, peel off the parchment, and flip the cake back upright using the bottom of a 9-inch cake pan, your hands, or another cooling rack.

Make the Chocolate Ganache Glaze

Put the chocolate in a large heatproof bowl and set aside.

In a small saucepan over medium heat, combine the cream and corn syrup and bring just to a boil. Remove from the heat and pour the cream mixture over the chocolate. Let stand for 2 minutes, then, starting in the center of the bowl and working your way out to the edges, slowly stir the chocolate and cream mixture in a circle until the chocolate is completely melted and the mixture is smooth. Whisk for another few minutes to cool the ganache slightly.

Add the liqueur and whisk again.

Glaze the Cake

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Place the cake on a wire rack, right side up, and place the wire rack over the baking sheet.

Slowly pour ¾ cup of the ganache over the cake. Use an offset spatula to smooth it out to the edges. It should not cover the sides at this point. Place the cake in the freezer for 5 minutes to set the ganache. Remove from the freezer and slowly pour the rest of the glaze over the cake. It should run down the sides and cover the cake completely.

Chill the glazed cake for 2 hours, or until the glaze is set, then transfer it to a cake plate. Serve at room temperature. Though this cake is wonderful the day it is made, its texture and flavor improve slightly overnight.

The cake can be stored, covered in a cake saver, at room temperature.

© 2008 All rights reserved. Published by Abrams Books.