Gorgeous flourless chocolate cake

Prep Time:

Cook Time:

Serves: 8-10

Fudgy, moussey and rich. What’s not to love? A perfect cake to serve as a gluten-free treat, that’s so delicious everyone will want some. Eggs are the key to this cake, giving it body and rise. Serve with slices of blood orange (or normal orange, if these aren’t in season), and a dollop of créme frâiche (a drizzle of salted caramel sauce is rather lovely too). This recipe is inspired by the chocolate nemesis cake served in the River Café.

6 Clarence Court Burford Brown eggs
or 5 Clarence Court Braddock White duck eggs, separated
200g unsalted butter
200g dark chocolate
Finely grated zest of one orange (cut the orange itself into thin slices for serving with the cake)
1 tablespoon cold espresso
250g caster sugar
70g cocoa powder
Créme frâiche (or salted caramel sauce) for serving
Pecan nuts (optional)

Recipe Card

Preheat the oven to 160C / 320F / gas mark 3. Grease a 23cm springform cake tin, and line with baking parchment.
Place a heatproof bowl over a saucepan of simmering water. Add the butter, chocolate and orange zest to the bowl, and, stirring occasionally, allow to melt until smooth. Stir in the espresso. Take the bowl off the heat and place to one side to cool a little.
In a mixing bowl, whisk the sugar and egg yolks until they’re pale and fluffy. Sift in the cocoa powder and fold through, then sprinkle in a pinch of salt. In a separate mixing bowl, whip the egg whites into soft peaks using an electric hand whisk. Stir the melted chocolate mixture into the egg yolk mixture, then gently fold through the egg whites until just combined.
Carefully pour the cake mix into the lined cake tin and place in the oven for around one hour. Test the dense cake after an hour by inserting a skewer into the centre: if it comes out nearly clean, it’s ready. Remove the cake from the oven and allow it to cool on a rack before removing it from the tin.
Serve with the blood orange slices and créme frâiche, and/or the salted caramel sauce, with a handful of pecans (optional).

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Gorgeous flourless chocolate cake

Prep Time: | Cook Time: | Serves: 8-10

Fudgy, moussey and rich. What’s not to love? A perfect cake to serve as a gluten-free treat, that’s so delicious everyone will want some. Eggs are the key to this cake, giving it body and rise. Serve with slices of blood orange (or normal orange, if these aren’t in season), and a dollop of créme frâiche (a drizzle of salted caramel sauce is rather lovely too). This recipe is inspired by the chocolate nemesis cake served in the River Café.

Method

Preheat the oven to 160C / 320F / gas mark 3. Grease a 23cm springform cake tin, and line with baking parchment.
Place a heatproof bowl over a saucepan of simmering water. Add the butter, chocolate and orange zest to the bowl, and, stirring occasionally, allow to melt until smooth. Stir in the espresso. Take the bowl off the heat and place to one side to cool a little.
In a mixing bowl, whisk the sugar and egg yolks until they’re pale and fluffy. Sift in the cocoa powder and fold through, then sprinkle in a pinch of salt. In a separate mixing bowl, whip the egg whites into soft peaks using an electric hand whisk. Stir the melted chocolate mixture into the egg yolk mixture, then gently fold through the egg whites until just combined.
Carefully pour the cake mix into the lined cake tin and place in the oven for around one hour. Test the dense cake after an hour by inserting a skewer into the centre: if it comes out nearly clean, it’s ready. Remove the cake from the oven and allow it to cool on a rack before removing it from the tin.
Serve with the blood orange slices and créme frâiche, and/or the salted caramel sauce, with a handful of pecans (optional).

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Ingredients

6 Clarence Court Burford Brown eggs
or 5 Clarence Court Braddock White duck eggs, separated
200g unsalted butter
200g dark chocolate
Finely grated zest of one orange (cut the orange itself into thin slices for serving with the cake)
1 tablespoon cold espresso
250g caster sugar
70g cocoa powder
Créme frâiche (or salted caramel sauce) for serving
Pecan nuts (optional)

Recipe Card