Flourless Chocolate Torte with Whipped Cream and Berries
A rich and showstopping dessert served with berries and cream. This chocolate almond torte is flourless (gluten-free), cuts like a dream and can be made a few days ahead.
Servings 8 servings
Ingredients
For the cake:
- 6 ounces semisweet chocolate finely chopped
- 2 teaspoons coffee powder
- ¼ cup coffee liqueur I used Kahlua
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract optional, but good for overall flavor
- ¾ cup unsalted butter at room temperature
- ¾ cup sugar sugar
- 6 egg yolks at room temperature
- 6 egg whites at room temperature
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 ⅔ cups almond flour 6 ounces. You can use finely ground almonds
For the topping:
- 1 cup heavy cream or heavy whipping cream, cold
- 2 tablespoons cream cheese at room temperature
- 3 tablespoons powdered sugar
- 2 cups fresh berries
Instructions
For the cake:
- Preheat oven to 375ºF (190ºC). Butter or spray and flour a 9-inch (24cm) springform pan. Line the bottom with a circle of parchment paper.
- Melt 6 ounces semisweet chocolate in a bowl over a double boiler or in the microwave. Dissolve 2 teaspoons coffee powder in ¼ cup coffee liqueur and ½ teaspoon vanilla extract, and add it to the chocolate. Stir to mix and reserve.
- Subtract 2 tablespoons from the total sugar and reserve for the meringue.
- In a large mixing bowl, beat ¾ cup unsalted butter until creamy. Slowly add the remaining sugar to the butter and beat until the mixture is light and creamy. Scrape the sides of the bowl as needed.
- Add 6 egg yolks, one at a time, beating well between each, and beating an extra minute after the last one.
- Mix in the chocolate mixture until smooth. Fold in 1 ⅔ cups almond flour until incorporated.
- In another large clean bowl beat 6 egg whites with ¼ teaspoon salt until they begin to stand in soft peaks. Use an electric or stand mixer.
- Add the reserved 2 tablespoons of sugar and beat until glossy and stiff peaks form.
- Add a third of the whites into the chocolate mixture and fold with a spatula.
- Add the rest of the whites in 2 additions, mixing carefully but thoroughly. Don't beat or overmix. As soon as there are no streaks of white, stop mixing. Make sure you scrape the bottom with the spatula to make sure.
- Pour into the prepared pan, turn the oven down to 350ºF / 180ºC and bake for 15 minutes.
- Turn down the oven to 325ºF / 160ºC and bake for another 45-50 minutes, or until a cake tester or toothpick inserter in the center comes out dry. The cake will be puffed and cracked. Don't overbake it.
- Turn off the oven and leave the cake in it, with the door ajar for another 30 minutes.
- Transfer to a wire rack and cool, in the pan, to room temperature.
- Cover the pan in plastic wrap and refrigerate for several hours before removing. This will make it firmer and creamier.
- When ready to serve, slide a flat knife or spatula around the sides of the pan, release the springform, and carefully transfer the cake to the serving plate.
For the topping:
- Place 1 cup heavy cream and 2 tablespoons cream cheese in a medium or large mixing bowl.
- Add 3 tablespoons powdered sugar and beat with an electric hand mixer at medium speed until firm peaks (stiff peaks) form, it will take about 4-5 minutes, depending on the speed of your beaters and the size of the bowl (smaller bowls take longer).
- Beating: if using the stand mixer with the whisk attachment, beat at low speed, especially towards the end so you don't curdle the topping. I use a wire whisk for this reason. Important: whipped cream can curdle very quickly when overbeaten. To avoid this, I always beat it at medium-high speed until soft peaks start to form, lower the speed to medium and continue beating until medium-firm peaks form. Then, I finish beating by hand with a whisk until I get stiff peaks. It takes a bit of arm muscle, but it's hard to overbeat cream by hand.
Assemble the torte:
- Top the cake with the whipped cream, spreading it to cover the sunken middle.
- Scatter 2 cups fresh berries on top and serve. Keep leftovers refrigerated, well covered in plastic wrap or airtight container.
Notes
Baking time: Keep in mind that all ovens and pans are different, even if they look the same or very similar. The baking time in my recipes is as accurate as it can be, but it might take you more or less time. You can use a thermometer to check that your oven is at the right temperature. I recommend keeping track of how your oven works and what tiny details you might need to adjust.
Topping: In addition to the whipped cream, you can serve it with chocolate ganache and berries. Slightly warm with a scoop of ice cream and a chocolate or caramel sauce drizzle is another favorite around here.
Storage:
Chocolate cake: It can be refrigerated in the pan for 3 days before assembly. Cover it with plastic wrap.
Whipped cream: can be made 2 days ahead and kept in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
Assembled torte: For the best results, eat it the same day it's made. Leftovers need to be refrigerated. The berries will lose their shine in a day or two.
Chocolate cake: It can be refrigerated in the pan for 3 days before assembly. Cover it with plastic wrap.
Whipped cream: can be made 2 days ahead and kept in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
Assembled torte: For the best results, eat it the same day it's made. Leftovers need to be refrigerated. The berries will lose their shine in a day or two.
