Flourless Chocolate Citrus Almond Cake

In the continuing quest to rid our pantry of an overabundance of ground almonds, courtesy of Kaitlin and her impulsive, trigger-happy nature (she took to the food processor and was deliriously pulverizing our entire supply of almonds before she even knew what to do with them. Why? I’d put my money on sleepwalking.), I have been diligently searching for ideas.

Alas! Most of the recipes out there use mere handfuls of the stuff. A quarter cup there, a third of a cup here. I needed a one-two punch. A recipe that said, YES! When all is said and done, that bag of ground almonds shall be vanquished!

Enter: this cake.

Um, hello flourless almond cake. My hero. My savior. Where have you been all my life?

Now, not everyone has a ready supply of ground almonds lying around every which way, which I am fully aware of. But this cake is especially great because not only is it moist, flavorful, and generally awesome, it is also gluten-free! So for that gluten-intolerant cake-lover in your life, this citrus almond cake with sea salt and dark chocolate ganache is definitely a reason to get some almonds and commence a bit of reckless food processor usage.

Let us begin!

You’ll need:

• 6 eggs, separated
• 1 cup sugar, plus 2 tablespoons (225g)
• zest of 1 lemon
• zest of 1 orange
• 8 oz.  (225g) ground almonds
• 4 oz. (115g) dark chocolate, chopped
• ½ cup (120 ml) heavy cream
• sea salt

Ok, so start by VERY thoroughly greasing an 8, 9, or 10-inch spring-form pan (baking times will vary depending on pan’s size. It’ll be anywhere from 45 minutes to an hour). Really lather on the butter or shortening to make sure the cake—which is very light and delicate—doesn’t stick. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.

In a mixer or with a whisk, beat the egg yolks and sugar until pale yellow and smooth. Fold in the lemon and orange zest and the ground almonds.

With a clean whisk or beaters, beat the egg whites until they form stiff peaks. With a spatula, gently and thoroughly fold the egg whites into the batter. Pour into the prepared pan and bake for 45-50 minutes (for a 10-inch pan), 50-55 minutes (9-inch pan), or about an hour (8-inch pan).

Cool for 30 minutes before removing from the cake pan. You may need to use a butter knife to help coax it out. Just run the knife along the outer edges of the pan.

While the cake is cooling, put the chopped chocolate into a heat-safe bowl. Heat the cream until it just comes to a simmer, and pour the cream into the bowl with the chocolate. Let stand for 2 minutes and then stir it all together until smooth and glassy. Allow the chocolate to cool in the fridge for 15 minutes, and pour it over the top of the cooled cake.

So yes, this cake did develop a charming little crater in the middle as it cooled, where the chocolate started to pool a bit. I find said crater “rustic” and “artisanal.” Nevertheless, I blame the oven.

But really, it wasn’t anything to freak out over. The texture of the cake was still perfect. If your oven turns off mid-bake like mine did, and you end up with a funny little puddle of chocolate in the middle of your cake, just pick up the plate and start swirling it around to distribute the chocolate. Let it drip over the sides to further highlight your devil-may-care, bohemian baking philosophy, and sprinkle with sea salt and more ground almonds.

Fire up the coffee maker, slice, and serve!

Flourless Chocolate Citrus Almond Cake

 

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Prep time

45 mins

Total time

1 hour 45 mins

 

Serves: 8 servings

Ingredients

• 6 eggs, separated
• 1 cup sugar, plus 2 tablespoons (225g)
• zest of 1 lemon
• zest of 1 orange
• 8 oz. (225g) ground almonds
• 4 oz. (115g) dark chocolate, chopped
• ½ cup (120 ml) heavy cream
• sea salt

Instructions

1. VERY thoroughly grease an 8, 9, or 10-inch spring-form pan (baking times will vary depending on pan’s size). Really lather on the butter or shortening to make sure the cake—which is very light and delicate—doesn’t stick. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.
2. In a mixer or with a whisk, beat the egg yolks and sugar until pale yellow and smooth. Fold in the lemon and orange zest and the ground almonds. With a clean whisk or beaters, beat the egg whites until they form stiff peaks. With a spatula, gently and thoroughly fold the egg whites into the batter. Pour into the prepared pan and bake for 45 minutes to an hour. Cool for 30 minutes before carefully removing from the pan.
3. While the cake is cooling, put the chopped chocolate into a heat-safe bowl. Heat the cream until it just comes to a simmer, and pour the cream into the bowl with the chocolate. Let stand for 2 minutes and then stir it all together until smooth and glassy. Allow the chocolate to cool in the fridge for 15 minutes and pour it over the top of the cooled cake. Sprinkle with sea salt and more ground almonds if desired. Serve!

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