Flourless Mocha Almond Cake
Source of Recipe
Star Tribune Jan. 24, 2002
Recipe Introduction
Adapted slightly from a recipe in "Chocolate Cake," by Michelle Urvater. Like most flourless cakes, it is a single low -- but very rich -- layer. The original recipe called for bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped, instead of semisweet chocolate chips. Go bittersweet only if yours is a very deep, very dark love of chocolate.
List of Ingredients
Serves 10 to 12.
• 2 c. (about 6 oz.) slivered almonds
• 1/4 c. instant coffee powder or crystals
• 1/4 c. very hot water
• 1 2/3 c. (10 oz.) semisweet chocolate chips, divided
• 3/4 c. (1 1/2 sticks) butter, softened
• 3/4 c. plus 5 tbsp. sugar, divided
• 6 eggs, separated
• 1/4 c. water
• 2 tbsp. cold butter, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
Recipe
Prepare the cake: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Lightly butter and flour a 9-inch springform pan. Line the bottom with a parchment or greased waxed-paper circle.
Toast the almonds in a heavy frying pan over low-medium heat, stirring occasionally, until they begin to color and become fragrant, about 7 minutes. Pour them out of the pan. Coarsely chop about 1/2 cup of the almonds and set aside for the side of the cake. Whirl the rest of them in a food processor until they are finely ground.
Dissolve the coffee in the 1/4 cup of very hot water in a medium bowl. Add 1 cup (6 ounces) of the chocolate chips to the hot coffee mixture, stirring to melt them. (If necessary, heat briefly in a microwave or stir in a saucepan over very low heat.) Set aside to cool.
In the large bowl of an electric mixer, cream the 1 1/2 sticks of butter with 3/4 cup of the sugar at medium speed for about 2 minutes, scraping the bowl sides occasionally, until the mixture whitens and is smooth. Add the egg yolks two at a time, and continue to beat until they are well incorporated. Beat in the chocolate mixture and the finely ground almonds.
In another mixer bowl, with thoroughly washed beaters, whip the egg whites until they hold soft peaks. Then while continuing to beat, but at reduced speed, slowly add 2 tablespoons of sugar; beat at full speed just until the egg whites are stiff and glossy. Stir about a third of the whites into the chocolate mixture to lighten it, then fold in the remaining whites.
Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Bake about 55 minutes, until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. (Insert the toothpick all the way to the bottom -- the crust usually rises way above the cake.)
Cool the cake on a wire rack. After 10 or 15 minutes, gently collapse the cracked top of the cake.
When the cake is fully cooled, remove any loose pieces of the top. Gently loosen the sides of the pan, remove the cake and invert onto a plate. Remove the pan bottom and peel off the paper.
Slide strips of waxed paper under the edge of the cake to catch glaze runoff.
Prepare the glaze: In a small saucepan, combine 1/4 cup water and the remaining 3 tablespoons of sugar and bring to a simmer over low heat, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Stir in the remaining 2/3 cup (4 ounces) of chocolate, bring the liquid back to a simmer, and cook over low heat for 5 minutes from the time it starts to simmer.
Immediately transfer the glaze to a clean bowl and stir in the chunks of cold butter. Stir until the mixture is smooth. Cool the glaze to room temperature before using: It should be fluid enough to pour but cool enough to set rapidly after it is poured.
Spread a thin coating of glaze around the side of the cake. Pour the rest of the glaze over the top and spread it out from the center to the side of the cake. Spread around the side the glaze that drips down from the top. Slide out the strips of waxed paper. Pat the reserved chopped almonds around the side of the cake. Refrigerate, uncovered, until serving time. Remove from the refrigerator about 30 minutes before serving.
Nutrition information per 1/12 serving:
Calories 460
Carbohydrates 38 g
Protein 8 g
Fat 34 g
including sat. fat 14 g
Cholesterol 142 mg
Sodium 126 mg
Calcium 80 mg
Dietary fiber 4 g
Diabetic exchanges per serving: 2 1/2 bread/ starch exch., and 7 fat exch.
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