Gluten Free Chocolate Mousse Cake
Submitted by hyperblonde55
Gluten-free chocolate mousse cake: a flourless, intensely chocolatey cake with a light, mousse-like crumb, made from just five ingredients. Naturally gluten-free, rich, and deeply fudgy.
YIELD
16 servingsPREP
50 minCOOK
30 minREADY
1½ hrsRich, dark, and impossibly light at the same time, this flourless cake gets its mousse-like texture from technique rather than flour, which means it is naturally gluten-free with no special substitutions. Just five ingredients stand between you and a serious chocolate fix.
Everything hinges on the eggs, used in two parts. Yolks beaten with sugar until pale and thick add richness and structure, while egg whites whipped to stiff peaks fold in the air that lifts the dense chocolate batter into something airy and tender.
The folding is where care pays off. Stir in a quarter of the whites first to loosen the batter, then fold the rest gently so you don’t deflate all that hard-won volume.
Expect the surface to form a crust that collapses as it cools. That is normal, and exactly what gives the chocolate cake its signature crackly top and fudgy, sunken middle.
Chef Tips
- Whip the egg whites to stiff but not dry peaks; over-whipped whites turn grainy and won’t fold in smoothly.
- Melt the chocolate and butter gently over a double boiler so the chocolate stays glossy and doesn’t seize.
- Let the melted chocolate cool slightly before folding it into the yolks so it doesn’t cook them.
- The collapsed top is expected, not a failure; it is the hallmark of a flourless chocolate cake.
Variations
- Add a splash of espresso, orange liqueur, or vanilla to the chocolate for extra depth.
- Dust with cocoa or powdered sugar, or finish with whipped cream and berries.
- Layer the cakes with chocolate ganache or mousse between for a showstopping torte.
Ingredients
Directions
Lightly coat the insides of 3 x 9 x 1½-inch cake pans with melted butter.
Line each pan with parchment paper, then lightly coat the parchment paper with more melted butter.
Set aside.
Preheat the oven to 325℉ (160℃)ahrenheit.
Heat 1 inch of water in the bottom half of a double boiler over medium heat.
Place remaining butter and 8 ounces semisweet chocolate in the top half of the double boiler.
Tightly cover the top with film wrap.
Allow to heat for 10 to 12 minutes.
Remove from the heat, stir until smooth, and hold at room temperature.
Place the egg yolks and ¾ cup sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle.
Beat on high until slightly thickened and lemon-colored, about 4 minutes.
Scrape down the sides of the bowl and beat on high for an additional 2 minutes.
While the egg yolks are beating, whisk 4 egg whites in a large stainless steel bowl until stiff, but not dry, about 3 to 4 minutes.
Using a rubber spatula, fold the melted chocolate mixture into the beaten egg yolk mixture.
Add a quarter of the beaten egg whites and stir to incorporate, then gently fold in the remaining egg whites.
Divide the batter between the prepared pans, spreading evenly, and bake in the preheated oven until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 25 to 30 minutes.
Remove the cakes from the oven and allow to cool in the pans for 15 minutes.
(During baking, the surface of the cakes will form a crust; this crust will normally collapse when the cakes are removed from the oven.)
Invert the cakes onto cake circles, remove the parchment paper, and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
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