Flourless Chocolate Torte

This is a really good go to chocolate recipe – it is a great make ahead dessert for a dinner party but is equally good with coffee. It is also gluten free

Servings

8-10

Ready In:

45min

Lever:

Beginner

Skills covered

Baking, Eggs, Whisking, Folding

Flourless Chocolate Torte

By: Chloe Coker

This is one of the most popular recipes that we do at the cookery school.  It is easy to make, rich and delicious. It is also better the next day (if you can make it last that long).  You can also make a white chocolate and raspberry version which is totally delicious

Instructions

200g butter
200g good quality dark chocolate
4 eggs, separated
200g golden caster sugar (use normal caster if you don’t have golden)
100g ground almonds / hazelnuts (you can use plain flour if you can’t have nuts)
1 tbsp cocoa powder
optional: for a chocolate orange torte: zest of 1 orange
optional: for a mocha torte: 1 tbsp instant coffee dissolved in a little boiling water
optional: for a chocolate hazelnut torte:  few drops of hazelnut extract

 

  • Preheat the oven to 180*c. Line an 8 inch loose bottomed tin
  • Place the butter and chocolate (plus any flavouring you are using) in a heat proof bowl and melt over a bain marie or in the microwave, then allow to cool slightly
  • Meanwhile, separate the eggs. Place the egg yolks in a bowl with 150g of the sugar and whisk until light and creamy
  • Place the remaining sugar in a bowl with the egg whites and whisk until they form a soft meringue (medium peak)
  • Fold the chocolate mixture through the egg yolks, followed by the ground nuts and cocoa powder
  • Fold in 1/3 of the egg white mix. Then gently fold in the remaining egg white mix.
  • Place in a tin and bake in the oven for around 30 minutes until a skewer inserted in the middle come out with moist crumbs – the edges will be set but there should be a slight wobble in the centre. Allow to cool
  • Dust with icing sugar or cocoa to serve.  Serve with mascarpone cream and berries, ice cream or coffee

Tips, Tricks and Teaching Info

Folding

There are no raising agents in this torte so all of the rise comes from whisking the eggs.  You want to preserve as much of the air in the egg white as possible so fold it in carefully.

Alternate Flavourings

Try adding orange zest, coffee or hazelnut essence to this tort, or change it up and make it with white chocolate and raspberries.