Flourless Chocolate Cake

from http://www.exclusivelyfood.com.au/2006/07/flourless-chocolate-cake-recipe.html

This cake is rich, soft and moist with a meringue-like crust. It is moister the day after baking. I made 3 of them for my mum’s birthday, put jam and cream between them, and then all over the top. This is the result!

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Serves about 8.

Ingredients

• 1 teaspoon instant coffee granules/powder
• 1 teaspoon hot water
• 100g butter
• 150g dark chocolate
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract (1 teaspoon natural vanilla essence)
• 4 large eggs at room temperature (we use eggs with a minimum weight of 59g)
• 170g (3/4 cup) caster sugar
• 200g almond meal (ground almonds)

Method

• Preheat oven to 180 degrees Celsius (160 degrees Celsius fan-forced).

• Line a 20cm diameter round pan, or a rectangular pan of similar volume with baking paper.

• Dissolve coffee in one teaspoon of hot water.

• Place butter, chocolate, vanilla and dissolved coffee in a medium saucepan over low heat, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat when chocolate and butter have melted and mixture is smooth. Set aside to cool to room temperature.

• Separate the egg whites from the egg yolks, taking care not to break the yolks. If any of the yolk gets into the whites, the yolk will prevent the egg whites from whipping properly.

• Using electric hand-held beaters or an electric mixer, beat egg whites with about half the sugar in a large, clean bowl. Beat until soft peak stage (when the beater is lifted, a peak will form and then droop over).

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• In a separate bowl, beat yolks with remaining sugar using electric hand-held beaters or an electric mixer. Beat until mixture is light, thick and creamy.

• Gently fold cooled chocolate mixture into yolk mixture.

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• Break up any lumps of almond meal before gently stirring it into the chocolate mixture.

• Spoon about one third of the egg whites into the chocolate mixture and use a spatula or large spoon to gently fold the egg whites through the mixture until just combined. Fold in remaining egg whites until just combined.

• Pour mixture into prepared pan and bake for 40 minutes.

• Remove cake from oven and cover with a clean tea towel. Allow to cool in pan.

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• Serve slices of the cake with whipped cream, berries, ice cream, chocolate sauce or simply dusted with icing sugar.

• Store in an airtight container in a cool place.