Flourless Chocolate Sponge Cake

Gourmet Chocolate Sponge Cake in a martini glass

Elegant flourless chocolate sponge cake gourmet dessert served in martini glasses, a beautiful presentation for dinner parties. .

See more of my Dessert Recipes

Flourless Chocolate Sponge Cake Recipe
recipe and photograph by Peggy Bucholz for www.finedinings.com

Recipe Type: cake, flourless, chocolate, cream, eggs, sponge cake, kosher, Passover

Prep Time: 55 min
Cook Time: 15 min
Total Time: 1 hr 10 min
Servings: 8

Ingredients

Cake
1/3 cup cocoa powder
1/4 cups boiling water
2 tablespoons butter, softened
1 teaspoon vanilla
6 eggs, separated
2/3 cup sugar, divided
1/3 cups almonds, toasted and finely ground
1 cup heavy cream, whipped
1 tablespoon sugar
8 mint sprigs for garnish
coarsely chopped almonds toasted for garnish
1/4 cups chocolate ganache (recipe follows) for garnish

1/4 cup heavy cream
1 tablespoon dark corn syrup
3 ounces bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, finely chopped
squirt bottle (I use a clean plastic catsup or mustard container with a small opening)

Directions

Make Flourless Cake:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Butter an aluminum foil-lined 15x10x1-inch jelly-roll pan foil extended over the sides.

In a small bowl stir cocoa powder and boiling water together until smooth; add 2 tablespoons butter and vanilla. Set aside to cool.

In a large mixing bowl combine egg yolks with 1/3 cup sugar; beat on medium speed 5 minutes. Add almonds and cooled cocoa mixture to beaten egg yolks, continue beating until well blended.

In another large bowl beat egg whites until foamy. Gradually add the remaining 1/3 cup sugar beating to stiff peaks. Fold egg whites into the flourless egg yolk batter small amounts at a time until well blended. Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake for 15 minutes or until flourless cake springs back when touched lightly in the center.

When ready to serve, whip the heavy cream with 1 tablespoon sugar to soft peaks. Fill martini glasses by layering small pieces of flourless cake, whipped cream and chopped nuts. Decorate serving plates with Chocolate Ganache (if necessary microwave the chocolate for a few seconds in a microwave oven to soften). Garnish with toasted almonds, mint sprigs and serve.

Make Chocolate Ganache:
In a small saucepan combine 1/4 cup cream, corn syrup and 3 oz chocolate over low heat whisking until melted and smooth. Cool and pour ganache into a squirt bottle making it easy to decorate plates. Refrigerate until ready to use. Can be made 1 week ahead.

Wine recommendation: cabernet sauvignon; merlot;