Looking for a low-carb, gluten-free, Keto or Passover dessert? Look no farther than a flourless cake.
(I cannot find my pictures; sorry)
This is an excellent easy, considerate dessert, or addition to a party table, when you want to accommodate diabetic or gluten-intolerant guests.
Consider adding other flavors for an impressive difference; some ideas are included below.
Depending on just how sweet or low-carb/low calorie you want to go, I give you several alternatives:
Basic cake ingredients:
I ½ oz of (good) bittersweet chocolate. (I use high-cocoa plain candy bars)*
½ cup pure cocoa powder *
1/2 cup butter cut into small pieces
¾ cups sugar of choice, or 2/3 cups stevia ‘sugar replacement’ for baking, ( made with sugar, erythritol or monkfruit)*
4 eggs
½ cup hot (not boiling) water
Dash of salt
½ tsp vanilla extract, (or tsp almond extract, mint flavoring, raspberry; 1 tsp hazelnut brandy or coffee liqueur)
*NOTE: More of these ingredients may be needed for toppings, along with any of the suggestions below.
Melt the chocolate gently and carefully in a microwave or double boiler. Add the butter chunks and stir until melted.
Put into a mixing bowl and add the sugar/substitute; add the hot water and beat until smooth.
Add the salt and one egg at a time, as soon as the mixture is slightly cooled, (so the eggs don’t cook). If using, add the flavoring at the end.
Prepare a baking pan (8-9” round, 8-9” square) with liberal buttering and dusting of cocoa, or use a pan-release, such as Wilton’s, or Pam for Baking. A piece of parchment in the bottom will facilitate the removal of the cake from the pan.
A tart pan or springform pan would make this even easier; the sides pull away in a springform; some tart pans have removable bottoms. The cake can be left in a nice ceramic tart or baking pan, as well, if you can cool it quickly.
Bake at 325F for about 30 minutes. It will look like it is rising and then fallen; this is normal. Test for doneness by inserting a thin knife, cake tester into the middle of the cake. When it comes out clean, it’s done.
Cool in pan for 10 minutes and remove, (if not using a ceramic baking pan). The cake will be flat and dense and as delicious as it is, it needs a little something on top.
When completely cool, you can dust the cake with cocoa and powdered sugar, (or the substitute baking blend whizzed in a grinder, blender or food processor to make an equivalent ‘powdered sugar’). You can then add grated bittersweet chocolate, nuts, berries or any combination for an even nicer presentation. Instead of the powdered sugar, you can simply drizzle with melted chocolate, or ganache and serve as soon as the topping is reasonably dry.
I think you will enjoy this as much as my family and guests do.
Tonette Joyce:Food,Friends,Family 