Everyone has a favorite dessert, what he considers to be “the ultimate” in flavor, in appearance, in simplicity maybe, that once made over and over again never loses its magic or desirability. I’ve spun sugary webs for Saint Honore cakes and piped many a galette with plays on pasty cream of apple cinnamon or pureed poached pear. But for me, my tastebuds never grow weary of that one infinitesimally grandiose of flavors, that dark soothing velvet beckoning of stupor and sleep… of chocolate. Be it milk or dark, dark to me carries that unadulterated complexity of naturally occurring musk and salt, bitter and sweet, smooth but pasty and grainy, that peanut butter quality of never leaving your tongue with its murkiness. I absolutely love chocolate, and I absolutely love when its inherently heavy qualities are paired with the lightness of an airy souffle or mousseline, or in my case, a flourless chocolate torte. I have made this too many times to count, and I have at least five different ways of making it. Here is my darkest and greediest one of them all, for you to enjoy, as its crisp exterior softly balloons and then collapses into a densely moist cavern of chocolate warmth.
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Flourless Chocolate Torte
2 tbsp butter, melted
1 oz bittersweet chocolate, grated
12 oz bittersweet chocolate (ghiradelli works fabulously and it’s cheaper than others)
1 tbsp instant coffee
2 tbsp boiling water
2-3 tbsp brandy
4 extra large eggs, separated
7 tbsp unsalted butter, softened
1/8 tsp salt
1 cup granulated sugar
To prepare the cake pan, cut a disk of baking parchment to fit the bottom of an 8 inch springform cake pan; set the paper aside. Brush the inside of the pan or mold with the melted butter and child until set. Then coat the side with the grated chocolate, tapping out any excess. Fit the desk of baking parchment on the bottom. Set aside.
For the torte, break up the chocolate and place in a large, heatproof bowl. Dissolve the coffee in the boiling water, then stire in the brandy and power over the chocolate. Set the bowl over a pan of gently simmering water until the chocolate has melted. Stir until smooth, then let cool. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
Beat the egg yolks and butter together in a bowl until creamy, then beat in the cooled chocolate mixture. In another bowl, beat the egg whites with the salt until softly stiff, then gradually beat in the sugar until you have a firm, glossy meringue. Carefully fold the meringue into the chocolate mixture, on-third at a time, until it is evenly incorporated. Spoon the batter into the prepared cake pan or mold and gently level the surface. Bake the cake for about 40 minutes until risen and the top is crisp. The surface might crack a little, which is fine, and the mixture underneath will still be soft.
Turn off the oven and leave the cake to cool inside for about an hour. Then remove and let cool completely. Do not chill – this torte should be moist and soft. To unmold, run a table knife around the side of the torte to loose it, then invert onto a serving plate. Lift off the side of the pan and the base. Cut the torte into wedges using a knife dipped into hot water.
Enjoy.
