Fast Recipe For Chocolate Torte

This decadent chocolate torte is for serious chocoholics. I was at a convention about 10 years ago, and several of us decided to have coffee and pastry for brunch in the hotel where we were staying. After being seated, our waiter rolled over a pastry cart laden with delectable goodies. My eyes immediately fell upon what appeared to be a slightly deflated slice of chocolate cake with fresh raspberries and whipped cream atop.

Well of course, that was on a Sunday, which is one of the days that I metamorphose into Your Smiling Snooper (remember people, weekends). I asked our dessert waiter what had happened to the poor, pathetic looking slice of cake. He wasn’t at all taken aback by what my tablemates surely considered a rude question. He smiled broadly and said, “This my dear, is a wonderfully delicious slice of a flourless chocolate torte.” Skeptic that I am, I demanded to know how you could make a torte without any flour. He said, “I will prove how delicious by allowing you and your friends to sample it.” Well how in the heck could we pass that offer up?

And then we were hooked.

FLOURLESS CHOCOLATE TORTE (serves 10-12)

Your Ingredients:

Butter for preparing cake pan
Unsweetened cocoa powder for dusting pan
15-ounces bittersweet chocolate (chopped)
2-1/4 sticks unsalted butter
7-egg yolks
10-tablespoons granulated sugar, divided
1-1/2-tablespoons dark rum
1-1/2-teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1-pinch salt
5-egg whites, room temperature
3-1/2 cups raspberries
confectioners’ sugar


PREHEAT oven to 300˚F.

BUTTER and dust with cocoa powder a 9-inch springform cake pan with 2-inch sides. You can also use a heart-shaped springform pan.

FILL the bottom of a double boiler with water (but DO NOT allow the water to reach the bottom of the top pan that you will place on top).

HEAT the water to simmering.

PLACE the bittersweet chocolate and 2-1/4 sticks of butter in the top pan of the double boiler.

WHISK the chocolate and butter until fully melted and well blended. Set aside to cool slightly.

PLACE the whisk attachment onto your electric mixer.

IN a large mixing bowl, beat together the egg yolks, 7-tablespoons granulated sugar, rum, vanilla and salt on medium-high speed until mixture is pale and very thick, about 3-5 minutes.

POUR in the chocolate and butter mixture and continue beating until well blended.

IN another large deep bowl, which is squeaky clean and dry, use another clean whisk attachment to beat the egg whites until foamy which should only take about 1 minute. DO NOT overbeat.

GRADUALLY add the remaining 3-tablespoons of granulated sugar and continue to beat until medium-firm peaks form, about 2 minutes.

SCOOP half of the egg whites into the chocolate mixture bowl and gently fold in. Add the remaining egg whites and continue folding until no streaks remain.

POUR the batter into the prepared pan and spread evenly.

BAKE until the torte puffs slightly and when you insert a toothpick into the center, it comes out moist, but not runny, about 40 minutes.

DO NOT overcook the torte because you think the toothpick should be dry.

REMOVE from oven and transfer the torte to a wire rack to cool for at least 30 minutes.

SET the springform pan on a large, wide can to remove the pan’s spring side. Let the spring side slide down.

COOL torte completely. When completely cool, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.

SERVE on individual dessert plates. Sprinkle lightly with confectioners’ sugar and top with a dollop of whipped cream and fresh (or thawed and drained) raspberries on the side or on top.

Note: You will achieve your best results when beating egg whites by using a spotlessly clean, dry bowl and beater. Any grease or fat, including egg yolk, will prevent the whites from expanding to their full volume. DO NOT overbeat or they will become clumpy and grainy, and the torte won’t rise as successfully. Gently fold the beaten egg whites into the batter to prevent them from deflating.

Always Enjoy!