It’s an epiphany to discover recipes like this one, which mean dietary restrictions don’t have to mean a life of deprivation. But you don’t have to be on a gluten-free diet to fall for this cake. It’s just good-quality chocolate (ideally at least 70 percent cocoa solids) held together with eggs, sugar and almonds. It ends up with a bit of a crust on top – this isn’t a mistake, it’s part of the charm. You can make it ahead as it keeps well.
Manja Wachsmuth
- Prep time: 20 mins
- Cook time: 55 mins
- Serves: 8-10
- Makes: 1 large cake
- 250g / 8 oz dark chocolate (I use Whittaker's 72% Cocoa
Dark Ghana), chopped - 2 tbsp brandy
- 2 tbsp strong, hot black coffee
- 200g / 6½ oz butter, chopped
- 1 cup caster sugar / superfine sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1¾ cups ground almonds
- 6 eggs, separated
To garnish (optional)
- chocolate shavings, cut with a vegetable peeler
Preheat oven to 170°C / 340°F. Line the base and sides of a 23cm / 9-inch-diameter springform cake tin with baking paper.
Combine chocolate, brandy and coffee in a large bowl over a pot of boiling water, stirring as the chocolate melts. Add butter, sugar and vanilla and stir until butter has melted. Remove from heat and stir in ground almonds. Lightly beat egg yolks and stir into the chocolate mixture.
Place egg whites in a large, clean bowl and beat to firm peaks. Stir a big spoonful of beaten egg white into the chocolate mixture to loosen it, then fold in the rest of the egg whites.
Spoon into prepared tin and bake until risen and set (40-50 minutes). The cake will still be a little gooey in the centre. It may look a little cracked as it develops a crust and can be quite fragile, but this is normal.
Cool completely in the tin, then transfer to a serving plate. Garnish with chocolate shavings, if using. It will keep in an airtight container for more than a week and also freezes well.
Combine chocolate, brandy and coffee in a large bowl over a pot of boiling water, stirring as the chocolate melts. Add butter, sugar and vanilla and stir until butter has melted. Remove from heat and stir in ground almonds. Lightly beat egg yolks and stir into the chocolate mixture.
Place egg whites in a large, clean bowl and beat to firm peaks. Stir a big spoonful of beaten egg white into the chocolate mixture to loosen it, then fold in the rest of the egg whites.
Spoon into prepared tin and bake until risen and set (40-50 minutes). The cake will still be a little gooey in the centre. It may look a little cracked as it develops a crust and can be quite fragile, but this is normal.
Cool completely in the tin, then transfer to a serving plate. Garnish with chocolate shavings, if using. It will keep in an airtight container for more than a week and also freezes well.
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