Fallen Chocolate Souffle Cake
Submitted by She
Fallen chocolate souffle cake: a dense, fudgy flourless-style cake of bittersweet chocolate, almond, and egg whites that puffs then collapses into a crackled top. An elegant, almost gluten-free dessert.
YIELD
1 cakePREP
20 minCOOK
35 minREADY
1 hrsThis flourless-style chocolate cake is designed to fall. The batter climbs dramatically in the oven like a souffle, then deflates as it cools, leaving a crackled top, a dense fudgy interior, and an edge of crisp cocoa crust.
The base is built from bittersweet chocolate, cocoa powder, sugar, and just enough boiling water to melt everything into a glossy paste. Egg yolks and a tablespoon of brandy enrich the flavor. Ground almonds pulverized with only 3 tablespoons of flour are the entire dry ingredient, giving the cake body without the weight of a traditional cake structure.
Whipped egg whites folded in last provide all the lift. The fall isn’t a failure; it’s the point. A perfectly baked fallen souffle cake has a wrinkled, almost brownie-like top and a center that’s barely set, with moist crumbs clinging to a tester.
Serve dusted with powdered sugar, a dollop of whipped cream, or fresh berries. It’s naturally almost gluten-free (only 3 tablespoons of flour) and works as a dinner-party dessert that can be made ahead.
Pro Tips
- Whip egg whites to stiff but not dry peaks. Over-whipped whites form clumps that won’t fold cleanly into the chocolate base.
- Fold the first quarter of whites into the chocolate to lighten it, then fold in the rest. Trying to fold all the whites at once crushes them.
- Use real bittersweet chocolate, 60 to 70% cacao. Milk chocolate won’t give the intensity; unsweetened is too bitter.
- Test with a toothpick showing a few moist crumbs, not clean. A clean tester means you’ve overbaked and lost the fudgy center.
- Run a knife around the pan edge gently to release. The fallen center is fragile and tears if rushed.
Variations
- Swap brandy for Grand Marnier, Kahlua, or dark rum for different aromatic notes.
- Replace the almonds with ground hazelnuts for a Nutella-like flavor lean.
- Serve with a scoop of espresso or salted caramel ice cream for a showstopping dinner-party dessert.
Ingredients
Directions
Position oven rack in the bottom third of the oven and preheat to 375℉ (190℃).
Place a round of parchment paper in the bottom of the pan (unless you plan to serve the cake directly from the bottom of the pan) and spraythe sides with vegetable oil spray.
In a food processor or blender, pulverize almonds with flour until very fine.
Set aside.
In a large mixing bowl, combine chopped chocolate, cocoa, and ¾ cup sugar.
Pour in boiling water and whisk until mixture is smooth and chocolate is completely melted.
Whisk in egg yolks and brandy.
Set aside Combine egg whites with cream of tartar in a medium mixing bowl.
Beat on medium speed until soft peaks form.
Gradually sprinkle in remaining sugar and beat on high speed until stiff but not dry.
Whisk the flour and almondsinto chocolate mixture.
Fold about one quarter of the egg whites into the chocolate mixture to lighten it.
Fold in the remaining egg whites.
Scrape batter into prepared pan; level the top if necessary.
Bake 30 to 35 minutes or until toothpick or wooden skewer plunged into the center comes out with a few moist crumbs clinging to it.
Cool in the pan, on a wire rack. Torte will sink like a souffle; top will be uneven.
Taking care not to break the edges of the torte, slide a small knife between the tort and the pan and run it around the pan to release the cake completely.
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