Once upon a time I was sick.
Super duper sick.
Too sick, too weak, to withstand my previous months-long Downton Abbey holdout. I had heard addicts people describe the magical quality of the show, but myself refused to add yet another television program to my growing Tivo list. Alas, the flu got the best of me however, leaving me stuck in a bed for several days, and before I knew it I was sucked like the rest of the world into the vortex that is Downton Abbey.
It was during my Downton binge that I lay in bed dreaming of what I might cook when finally I had the strength to stand longer than 5.2 seconds and eat more than dry wheat toast. And I fixed my gaze on chocolate cake.
Emma, herself down for the count with the same nasty flu, was happy to get back into the kitchen with me, and so together we set out to make a gluten-free, flourless chocolate cake. If you don’t mind a little whipping, this recipe is simple! All it takes is 4 ingredients: butter, chocolate chips, sugar and eggs.
Once again my Kitchenaid came to the rescue, beating up half a dozen egg whites until stiff and glossy.
Fold in the egg whites with chocolate/butter/egg yolk mixture, then spread in a springform pan and bake.
And there it is, fresh from the oven and looking glorious. I dusted mine with powdered sugar and served it with coffee ice cream but homemade whipped cream would be wonderful too.
So now I have 2 new addictions: Downton Abbey and this divine cake.
Ingredients
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, plus more for pan
- 8 ounces bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, chopped
- 6 large eggs, separated
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- Powdered sugar, for dusting
- Whipped cream or ice cream
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 275 degrees. Butter the bottom and sides of a 9-inch springform pan.
- Place butter and chocolate in a large heatproof bowl and microwave in 30-second increments, stirring each time, until completely melted. Let cool slightly. Whisk in egg yolks.
- In a large bowl, beat egg whites until soft peaks form. Gradually add 1/2 cup sugar, and continue beating until glossy stiff peaks form. Whisk 1/4 of the egg whites into the chocolate mixture; then gently fold in remaining egg whites.
- Pour batter into the prepared pan, and smooth the top with a rubber spatula. Bake until the cake pulls away from the sides of the pan and is set in the center, 45 to 50 minutes. Cool completely on a wire rack; remove sides of pan. Serve at room temperature, dusted with powdered sugar. Serve with whipped cream or ice cream, if desired.
Notes
284 calories per serving 18 grams of fat 25 carbs 6 grams protein
TOTAL: $2.59 (ice cream or whipped cream not included), or about $.32 per serving. Compare that to the Trader Joes pre-made flourless chocolate cake which I spied today for $7.49. Wowza! And you can bet homemade is way better.
