Absolutely Sinful Flourless Chocolate Cake Recipe

Many years ago at an alley way entrance to the Irish Bank, a messy dive bar in the financial district of San Francisco, I laid eyes on a handsome gentleman. I still remember how gracefully the warm sunset cast an orange light onto his angelic brown locks, and the bright clarity of his hazel green eyes.

Central Park Winter

This evening tears welled as I stared into those same eyes, I was reminded me of how lucky I am. Over the past few months I've leaned on this man to take over nearly all of the house chores: cooking, cleaning and grocery shopping, while I surrendered to the various stages of pregnancy. My heart swells thinking about how much love and devotion lies behind his care.

Central Park Winter

I hope that everyone has someone like this in their lives, and if not, that someday you will. Everyone deserves a soul mate to make what could be an otherwise impossible journey into an incredible experience.

The Filoli in Woodside, CA Summer 

If you have not chosen a dessert to make for Valentine's Day next week, consider flourless chocolate cake, a really easy and luscious treat. With flourless chocolate cake, the secret is in how you handle the egg whites. If you want a denser chocolate cake, whip the egg whites to soft peaks. If you prefer a lighter more mousse-like texture, make sure that the egg whites are whipped until stiff, which takes longer, and is my preferred consistency. Either method, fold the the egg whites with care, so that the delicate and spongy structure remains intact to yield that wonderful custardy texture.


Flourless Chocolate Cake
From Martha Stewart's Everyday Food, January/February 2004
Ingredients

• 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, plus more for pan
• 3/4 cups semisweet chocolate chips (or 8 ounces chopped bittersweet chocolate)
• 6 large egg yolks
• 6 large egg whites
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• Confectioners' sugar, for dusting

Method

1. Preheat oven to 275 degrees; with rack in center. Butter a 9-inch springform pan. Place butter and chocolate in a large bowl. The original recipe instructs to microwave in 30-second increments, stirring each time, until the chocolate and butter is melted. I like to create a bain marie - that is have a heat-proof bowl tightly fitted over a pot of gently boiling water (medium heat). Make sure that the water does not come into contact with the bowl. The steam should be sufficient to gently melt the butter and chocolate. Remove from the heat and allow to cool slightly. 
2. In another bowl, beat egg whites to soft peaks for a dense cake, or beat egg whites until stiff if you want a mousse-like texture. To accelerate stiffness, change the speed of the mixer between fast and slow. Gradually add sugar; beat until stiff and glossy. Take the egg yolks, and whisk into the chocolate mixture. Whisk 1/4 of whites into chocolate mixture.  Fold mixture into remaining whites with care. 
3. Pour into prepared pan; smooth top. Bake until cake starts to pull away from sides of pan and is just set in center, 45 to 50 minutes. Serve warm or cool completely on a wire rack. I think it is best served 15-20 minutes out of the oven. Serve dusted with confectioners' sugar.

Serves 8

Raspberry Sauce
Ingredients
One 12-oz. bag of frozen raspberries
1/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon cornstarch

Method

1. Thaw the unsweetened frozen raspberries in a large fine meshed strainer suspended over a large a saucepan. This step will likely take 2-3 hours. 
2. Once the berries have completely thawed, press the juice from the berries by pushing down the berries with the back of a large spoon, scrape the seeds and pulp together and push down on the seeds again until all that remains in the strainer is the raspberry seeds. Discard the raspberry seeds.
3. Mix sugar and cornstarch well into the cold raspberry sauce. Turn on the heat to medium, stirring occasionally. Once the sauce starts to bubble, continue stirring for another 30 seconds before turning off the heat. Allow it to cool down prior to serving. 

This sauce can be made ahead and stored in the refrigerator for a week.

I hope everyone has a lovely Valentine's Day!