Chocolate Torte.
I first heard about this chocolate-y delight from a co-worker of mine back at the agency. He swears by it.
He swears a lot.
He likes the F- word.
Speaking of F- words. Did I mention this is flourless?
Perfect for our gluten-free guest of honor.
The recipe is simple and combines a total of six ingredients. The peeps over at Health.com have a version I tried here.
If you're ready to impress your honey (or upper-management, in my case) try this not-in-a-box chocolate confection. The word "torte" alone exudes gourmet appeal you've always been looking for to leave a chefly impression.
Flourless Chocolate Torte
You'll need...
unsweetened cocoa, about 2-3 tbs.
2 (8-ounce) packages semisweet chocolate squares, coarsely chopped
1 stick of butter
5 large eggs, yolks and egg whites separated
1 tbs. vanilla extract
1/4 cup sugar
1 spring-form pan (this is a pre-requisite, folks!)
An important tool to really get this put together - an electric mixer. Every single gal (and guy) should invest in one if you want to try your hand at a few confectionary treats. One day, I'll be able to afford those $400 Kitchen Aids. One day!
Coarsely chop up the semi-sweet chocolate bars and please refrain from devouring the entire chopping block of chocolate mess.
Dump the chopped chocolate in a medium saucepan and throw in a whole stick of butter, heat on medium-low.
And yes, I snuck in the "whole stick of butter" part. You don't miss a beat, do you?
Butter is mandatory! Amen.
While the chocolate and the butter are getting to know each other, take five eggs and separate them oh so carefully.
Take the yolks and add one teaspoon of vanilla into a medium-large bowl. We're bout to do some whippin'! And whippin' it good.
Using the electric mixer, combine vanilla and yolks. Yolks - sucha funny word. Let's see how the chocolate is coming along...
The chocolate and butter should be a complete unit of silky smooth goodness. Congratulations on resisting your inner most urge to stand right there with the spoon and go to town. Turn off the burner and set aside.
Take the egg whites and start whippin' them in a separate bowl. It'll be thin and frothy looking at first but keep going until the egg whites start to thicken and look a bit like whipped cream.
Add the sugar a little at a time and keep whippin' and whiskin' as you go. Your multi-tasking skills really come in handy at this part of the recipe. It'll thicken up and it's time to add to the chocolate!
Combine the melted chocolate and the whipped egg whites in a large bowl and gently fold in the egg whites. You don't want to take out all the fluff!
Get the spring-form pan ready by taking some butter and rubbing it along the bottom and sides of the pan. Sprinkle the unsweetened cocoa on the bottom. This is the frame for your chocolate masterpiece. No? Too cheesy? Okay.
Carefully pour the mixture into the pan, spreading evenly.
Put it into a 375-degree oven for 20-25 minutes.
Let it stink up your apartment.
Let the smell drive you nuts.
So much so that you have to open the oven door halfway through the cooking time just make sure it's still there. And it is.
After what seems like eternity, let the torte cool off on the counter. You'll need to wait (did she say wait? Dangit!) to let the pan cool down so you can take the rounded spring off. Is that what it's called?
I'm not entirely sure.
My baking vocabulary needs a little work.
A spring-form pan is necessary for this endeavor since the torte takes on a brownie/fudge appearance and it's a bit tricky to take out of a traditional glass casserole dish. Many thanks to my swearing coworker for this fine baking dish.
Unleash the spring like you'd unleash your bra!
Unless of course, you don't wear one.
In that case you might already be aware of this freedom and non-confinement bliss.
The torte is liberated. It is ready for a small knife, one large glass of milk and a handful of marketing guru's who'd like nothing more than to devour any and all chocolate in sight.
Thank you chocolate gods!
1 spring-form pan (this is a pre-requisite, folks!)
An important tool to really get this put together - an electric mixer. Every single gal (and guy) should invest in one if you want to try your hand at a few confectionary treats. One day, I'll be able to afford those $400 Kitchen Aids. One day!
Coarsely chop up the semi-sweet chocolate bars and please refrain from devouring the entire chopping block of chocolate mess.
Dump the chopped chocolate in a medium saucepan and throw in a whole stick of butter, heat on medium-low.
And yes, I snuck in the "whole stick of butter" part. You don't miss a beat, do you?
Butter is mandatory! Amen.
While the chocolate and the butter are getting to know each other, take five eggs and separate them oh so carefully.
Take the yolks and add one teaspoon of vanilla into a medium-large bowl. We're bout to do some whippin'! And whippin' it good.
Using the electric mixer, combine vanilla and yolks. Yolks - sucha funny word. Let's see how the chocolate is coming along...
The chocolate and butter should be a complete unit of silky smooth goodness. Congratulations on resisting your inner most urge to stand right there with the spoon and go to town. Turn off the burner and set aside.
Take the egg whites and start whippin' them in a separate bowl. It'll be thin and frothy looking at first but keep going until the egg whites start to thicken and look a bit like whipped cream.
Add the sugar a little at a time and keep whippin' and whiskin' as you go. Your multi-tasking skills really come in handy at this part of the recipe. It'll thicken up and it's time to add to the chocolate!
Combine the melted chocolate and the whipped egg whites in a large bowl and gently fold in the egg whites. You don't want to take out all the fluff!
Get the spring-form pan ready by taking some butter and rubbing it along the bottom and sides of the pan. Sprinkle the unsweetened cocoa on the bottom. This is the frame for your chocolate masterpiece. No? Too cheesy? Okay.
Carefully pour the mixture into the pan, spreading evenly.
Put it into a 375-degree oven for 20-25 minutes.
Let it stink up your apartment.
Let the smell drive you nuts.
So much so that you have to open the oven door halfway through the cooking time just make sure it's still there. And it is.
After what seems like eternity, let the torte cool off on the counter. You'll need to wait (did she say wait? Dangit!) to let the pan cool down so you can take the rounded spring off. Is that what it's called?
I'm not entirely sure.
My baking vocabulary needs a little work.
A spring-form pan is necessary for this endeavor since the torte takes on a brownie/fudge appearance and it's a bit tricky to take out of a traditional glass casserole dish. Many thanks to my swearing coworker for this fine baking dish.
Unleash the spring like you'd unleash your bra!
Unless of course, you don't wear one.
In that case you might already be aware of this freedom and non-confinement bliss.
The torte is liberated. It is ready for a small knife, one large glass of milk and a handful of marketing guru's who'd like nothing more than to devour any and all chocolate in sight.
Thank you chocolate gods!
