This flourless chocolate bean cake was not my first choice of recipe, and while making it still had my doubts. Then I tried it and knew it was perfect for today. Not at all what I had in mind when I started brainstorming, because there are some Sunday Supper themes that require probably a lot of posts for me to feel like I have it minimally covered, so it’s hard to decide.
Like the bucket list theme (hello a million items and counting!), or the retro recipes, or don’t get me started on drinks and appetizers.
Today’s event is hosted by Angie, of Big Bear’s Wife. The title is Cheese, Cake and Cheesecake.
Take that in and tell me how do you choose? One, only one. I can easily have a blog devoted to that and post for years. So, I originally decided on a homemade cheese and a recipe to go with it. But the cheese in question, ricotta, was already being made so, having as I did a million and one extravagant ideas involving cheese and cake, a simple flourless chocolate cake never crossed my mind.
But as you might have guessed from the title, this is no ordinary flourless cake, this one has beans in it, white canellini beans added to a mousse-like batter. The result is the tallest flourless chocolate cake I ever made. And it stays that way.
Now, I swear by Nigella’s flourless chocolate mousse cake, which I already posted served with my favorite caramel ice cream. It’s beyond good, not only in flavor but also texture. I’ve made it dozens of times and will probably never tire of it.
But the one I’m sharing today has a completely different texture, courtesy of, not only the pureed white beans, but also of a large amount of ground walnuts. So, if you want to stretch it, you can say that eating a slice of this cake is almost good for you. And I think it is. Two birds in one shot.
No one will ever know what they’re eating, but the texture is coarser and the flavor is sharper. I love it and can’t wait to make it again.
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Ingredients
- 8 oz. 225g semisweet chocolate, finely chopped
- 2 cups 200g walnuts, lightly toasted
- 1 cup 200g sugar
- 1 ½ cups scant two 300g cans, drained white beans, I used canellini
- 2 Tbs dark rum
- 1 Tbs vanilla extract
- 6 large eggs (separated)
- Pinch of salt
- Confectioners’ sugar (for dusting)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350ºF/180ºC.
- Lightly butter or spray a 10-inch silicone or springform pan.
- Melt the chocolate in a steel or glass bowl over a pan of boiling water, being careful the bottom of the bowl is not touching water. Or microwave, in 30 seconds intervals, mixing well between each one and being careful not to overcook the chocolate and scorch it. Let cool to room tº.
- Meanwhile, in a food processor, grind walnuts with ¼ cup of the sugar. Transfer to another bowl.
- Using the same processor, puree the white beans with the rum and the vanilla extract.
- One by one, add the egg yolks and process until smooth. Add the melted chocolate and process until smooth.
- With an electric mixer, beat the egg whites and salt until soft peaks start to form. While beating at high speed, gradually add the remaining ¾ cup sugar and beat until stiff peaks form and the meringue is glossy.
- Add ¼ of the chocolate batter into the meringue, and mix lightly with a spatula.
- Add the rest of the chocolate in two more additions, mixing lightly between each one. It will not be even colored.
- Add the ground walnuts and mix with a spatula until it’s all one even batter, but careful not to over mix.
- Put into the prepared pan, place an aluminum foil in the bottom of the oven if using a springform pan in case the cake drips, and bake for about 50 minutes to 1 hour.
- The top will be firm and a tester inserted in center of the cake will come out clean. Transfer to a cooling rack until the cake is at room tº.
- Unmold on a serving plate, dust with confectioners’ sugar and serve. Can be kept for a few days. If you refrigerate it, serve it at room temperature.
from Chocolate Cake, by Michelle Urvater
Lane says
March 6, 2013 at 16:35Wow I love flourless chocolate cake. Who would have ever though to put beans in it. So interesting. I must try! PS love that last picture!