Passover Flourless Chocolate Cake

This Passover Flourless Chocolate Cake features both chocolate and cocoa; the combination gives it a rich, dark color, and deep chocolate flavor. A chocolate ganache glaze takes it over the top. And, since it contains neither flour nor leavening, it's perfect for Passover.

Yield: 1 (8 inch) cake, 12 rich servings

Ingredients

Cake

• 1 cup (6 ounces) chopped semisweet chocolate or chocolate chips
• 1/2 cup (1 stick, 4 ounces) unsalted butter
• 3/4 cup (5 1/4 ounces) granulated sugar
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 1 to 2 teaspoons espresso powder (optional)
• 3 large eggs
• 1/2 cup (1 1/2 ounces) unsweetened cocoa powder, Dutch-process preferred

Glaze

• 1 cup (6 ounces) chopped semisweet chocolate or chocolate chips
• 1/2 cup (4 ounces) heavy cream

Topping

• 1/4 cup sliced almonds, toasted in a 350 degrees F oven until golden brown, about 10 minutes

Instructions

1. Heat the oven to 375 degrees F. Lightly grease an 8 inch round cake pan; cut a piece of parchment or waxed paper to fit, grease it, and lay it in the bottom of the pan.

Cake

1. Put the chocolate and butter in a microwave-safe bowl, and heat until the butter is melted and the chips are soft. Stir until the chips melt, reheating briefly if necessary. You can also do this over a burner set at very low heat. Transfer the melted chocolate/butter to a mixing bowl.
2. Add the sugar, salt, and espresso powder. Espresso enhances chocolate's flavor much as vanilla does; using 1 teaspoon will simply enhance the flavor, while 2 teaspoons will lend a hint of mocha to the cake. Add the eggs, beating briefly until smooth. Add the cocoa powder, and mix just to combine.
3. Spoon the batter into the prepared pan. Bake the cake for 25 minutes; the top will have formed a thin crust. Remove it from the oven, and cool it in the pan for 5 minutes. Loosen the edges of the pan with a table knife or nylon spreader, and turn it out onto a serving plate. The top will now be on the bottom; that's fine. Also, the edges will crumble a bit, which is also fine. Allow the cake to cool completely before glazing.

Glaze

1. Combine the chocolate and cream in a microwave-safe bowl, and heat until the cream is very hot, but not simmering. Remove from the microwave, and stir until the chocolate melts and the mixture is completely smooth.
2. Spoon the glaze over the cake, spreading it to drip over the sides a bit. Allow the glaze to set for several hours before serving the cake.

Attribution

Recipe and photo used with permission from: King Arthur Flour