Festival Flourless Chocolate Cake
Submitted by missme78
Flourless chocolate cake spiked with Grand Marnier, baked low and slow for a dense, fudgy interior with a delicate soufflé-like crown. Naturally gluten-free dessert for holidays, dinner parties, or any chocolate-lover’s celebration.
YIELD
16 servingsPREP
35 minCOOK
1½ hrsREADY
3 hrsA proper flourless chocolate cake lives or dies by the egg whites. There’s no flour to give it structure, so the air you beat into those whites is the only thing holding this cake up. Beat them to soft, glossy peaks (not stiff and dry) so they fold cleanly into the chocolate base without deflating.
The orange liqueur is the recipe’s signature. Grand Marnier (or any orange-flavored liqueur) lifts the dark chocolate with a subtle citrus warmth that keeps each bite from feeling heavy. Without it, the cake is still good. With it, the cake is memorable.
The low oven and long bake are intentional. This is closer to a chocolate custard than a sponge, and gentle heat keeps the edges from setting before the center catches up. Rotating every 30 minutes ensures an even rise. The cake will sink slightly as it cools, that crackled, slightly fallen top is the look you want.
Pro Tips
- Use the best chocolate you can afford here, with so few ingredients, quality shows in every bite.
- Separate the eggs cold but whip the whites at room temperature for maximum volume.
- Fold in a quarter of the whites first to lighten the chocolate, then fold the rest gently in two additions, stop the moment you see no streaks.
- The cake slices cleanest when fully cooled, even refrigerated; wipe the knife clean between cuts.
Variations
- Skip the liqueur and add a teaspoon of espresso powder to deepen the chocolate flavor.
- Use raspberry liqueur instead of orange and serve with fresh raspberries.
- Top with a dusting of cocoa and powdered sugar instead of whipped cream for a more elegant finish.
Ingredients
Directions
Heat oven to 250 degrees (F). Butter 9 inch springform pan and dust inside with flour, tapping out excess.
Gently melt chocolate and butter. Cool slightly. Beat egg yolks, 4 Tb of sugar and liqueur in large mixer bowl until light, about 5 minutes. Add chocolate mixture and mix thoroughly.
Beat egg whites, cream of tartar and salt. Gradually beat in remaining 3 Tb sugar, beating well after each addition, then continue beating until soft, glossy peaks form.
Thoroughly mix ¼ of egg whites into chocolate mixture, then gently but thoroughly fold in remaining whites.
Transfer batter to prepared pan. Bake, turning pan a half turn every 30 minutes until a wooden pick comes out with moist but not wet crumbs, about 1 hour and 30 minutes.
Transfer pan to wire rack and run a small knife around edge of pan to loosen cake. Let cake cool completely in pan. As it cools, cake will shrink back from pan and fall slightly.
When cool, remove sides from pan and invert cake onto a serving plate. Serve with dollops of whipped cream.
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