Share: Deep Dark Moist Almond Flour Chocolate Cake

Since I first started making this recipe almost twenty years ago, it's been around the world and back. I don't know what, exactly, makes it so good. I only know I have had chocoholics from California to Berlin to Sydney to Caracas and beyond ask for this no-fuss, no-icing, just-chocolate recipe and tell me they make it on a regular basis.

I got the original recipe from my French sister in-law. When I first tasted her cake, I would never have thought it could be improved upon. It was that good. But over the years I've toyed with it--often for lack of the proper ingredients which forced me to substitute others--until I think mine is even better (just don't tell her I said so).

My twist consists primarily of reducing the sugar content, upping the cocoa content, and the replacing regular flour with almond flour. Depending how sweet you like your cake, you can choose your chocolate by how much cocoa content it contains. Generally, the higher the cocoa content, the less sweet the chocolate.

I like a dark, moist, rich but not too sweet chocolate cake. I've found Lindt 70% cocoa chocolate works best. It's really only later that I learned that no Lindt chocolate with a cocoa content of 70% or over contains malt, which means that unlike much chocolate, it's gluten free. The cherry on the top, so to speak.

Cook Time

Prep time: 20 min

Cook time: 20 min

Ready in: 40 min

Yields: Serves 6 to 8

Ingredients

7 oz. (200 g.) dark chocolate (about 70% cocoa), malt-free for those with gluten intolerance (Lindt is malt-free)
1/2 cup (125 g.) butter
3/4 cup sugar
4 tablespoons almond flour
4 eggs, separated
1/2 cup toasted slivered or whole blanched almonds, chopped walnuts or pecans, or hazelnuts, optional

Lindt Excellence Dark Chocolate 70% Cocoa, 3.5-Ounce Packages (Pack of 12)

Amazon Price: $25.59
List Price: $31.08

Instructions

Melt butter in a small pan.
Melt chocolate with 1 tablespoon water in the top of a double boiler.
Mix egg yolks in with almond flour and sugar.
Add melted butter to melted chocolate. Remove from heat. Stir egg mixture into butter and chocolate mix.
Beat egg whites to form soft peaks. Gently fold into chocolate mixture. Fold in almonds if desired, reserving 2 Tablespoons.
Spoon into individual cake molds as I have done here, or pour into a single 9" (24 cm) cake pan. Sprinkle with remaining almonds.
Bake at 350°F (180°C) for 20 to 25 minutes depending on your oven. A toothpick should came out clean. But careful not to overbake. This is intended to be an extremely moist cake!

A word on melting chocolate

Keep an eye on your chocolate as it melts. It can clump and burn in the blink of an eye, even in a double boiler. While I was busy taking photos, I almost let mine burn!

If you don't have a double boiler, never fear. Simply put one pan that's big enough to contain all the cake ingredients (this saves on dishes) in a slightly larger pan filled with hot water. The smaller pan should float level. If not, adjust the quantity of water. Add chocolate and & spoon of water to top and place over medium hot burner until just melted.

Variations on a theme

Orange Chocolate Cake

Two possibilites:

add the finely grated peel of one orange (be sure it's organic, oranges keep all pesticides in their skin) and substitue orange juice for water when melting chocolate
Substitue candied orange for nuts

Coconut Chocolate Cake

Three possibilities:

substitute lightly toasted coconut flakes for the nuts
add 1/4 fresh coconut, finely shredded
use 1/2 cup fine shred dried coconut and reduce sugar to 1/2 cup

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Monday 7 October 2013

Deep Dark Moist Almond Flour Chocolate Cake