Recipe 2: Flourless Chocolate Cake

This cake is delicious. I think that flourless cakes can often me too rich, almost fudge like. This still has the intense flavor but it is much lighter. A great recipe for people with gluten allergies. Note: if you do have a gluten allergy, make sure the chocolate you use doesn't have gluten. Some do, some don't. Enjoy!

4 ounces fine-quality semisweet chocolate

1 stick unsalted butter

1 cup sugar

4 eggs

3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

Dash salt

Dash vanilla

Preheat oven to 375 degrees and butter a 9-inch round baking pan or spring form pan. Line bottom with a round of wax paper.

Finely chop chocolate and cut butter into cubes. In a double boiler or glass/metal bowl set over a saucepan of barely simmering water melt chocolate with butter, stirring, until smooth. Remove top of double boiler or bowl from heat and whisk sugar into chocolate mixture. Add eggs and whisk well. Sift 1/2 cup cocoa powder over chocolate mixture and whisk until just combined. Pour batter into pan and bake in middle of oven 20 minutes, or until top has formed a thin crust. Cool cake in pan on a rack 5 minutes and invert onto a serving plate.

(Cake keeps, after being cooled completely, in an airtight container, 1 week.)

Helpful hints:

1. Melting chocolate has always been difficult for me. I have a double boiler set of pots but could never get it to work. The chocolate would always turn dry and unusable. I've finally found what works for me though- a pot with just a little bit of simmering water and a glass bowl. It's important the water be BARELY simmering and that the glass bowl be tight on the pot. If any steams gets in the chocolate it will be ruined. Also, if the chocolate heats to quickly it will be ruined. Slow and steady and it will work.

2. Use a glass bowl and use a metal whisk instead of one that is dipped in silicone. You'll be able to scrape the sides of the bowl easily and won't need to also use a spatula.