Flourless Chocolate Bean Cake
Flourless chocolate cakes are a favorite, so trying out this recipe with white beans and walnuts was a must. It turned out to be delicious! The texture is creamy and it lasts for several days.
Servings 8 servings
Ingredients
- 8 ounces semisweet chocolate finely chopped
- 2 cups walnuts lightly toasted
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 ½ cups beans 21 ounces cooked, drained if canned, I used cannellini beans
- 6 eggs large
- 2 tablespoons dark rum
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- pinch salt
- 2 teaspoons powdered sugar for sprinkling
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350ºF (180ºC).
- Lightly butter or spray a 10-inch round cake springform pan.
- Melt 8 ounces semisweet chocolate in a glass bowl or heat-proof bowl over a pan of boiling water, being careful that the bottom of the bowl does not touch the water. Or microwave it (in a microwave-safe bowl) in 30-second intervals, mixing well between each one and being careful not to scorch the chocolate. Let cool to room temperature.
- Grind 2 cups walnuts with ¼ cup of the sugar. Transfer to another bowl.
- Using the same processor, puree 1 ½ cups beans with 2 tablespoons dark rum and 1 tablespoon vanilla extract.
- Separate 6 eggs, put yolks in a small bowl and whites in a clean, dry large bowl.
- Add the egg yolks, one at a time, and process until smooth. Add the melted chocolate and process until smooth. Don't overprocess.
- With an electric mixer, beat egg whites and pinch 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 rubber or silicon 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-colored batter, but careful not to overmix.
- 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.
- Bake for about 50 minutes to 1 hour, until the top is firm and a cake tester or toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Transfer to a cooling rack until the cake is at room temperature.
- Remove the springform ring and transfer the cake to a serving plate, dust with 2 teaspoons powdered sugar and serve.
- Store leftovers in the fridge, wrapped in plastic or in an airtight container and return to room temperature before eating.
Notes
Use a different bean, like red kidney beans. If using dried beans: soak them in water for 8 hours before draining and cooking them.
Use a different nut, like ground almonds.
