Chocolate almond flourless torte

 
                      Chocolate Almond Flourless Torte
 
 Recipe By     : Cooking Live Show #CL8862
 Serving Size  : 1    Preparation Time :0:00
 Categories    : Cooking Live                     Import
 
   Amount  Measure       Ingredient -- Preparation Method
 --------  ------------  --------------------------------
   10      ounces        good imported bittersweet chocolate -- 
 			broken into pieces
      1/2  cup           (1 stick) unsalted butter or margarine -- 
 			at room temperature
      1/2  cup           granulated sugar plus more for sprinkling
    5      large         eggs -- separated
      1/3  cup           finely ground almonds (done in a food
                         -- processor)
    2      tablespoons   kosher for passover cognac or dark rum
                         whipped cream
                         fresh raspberries -- optional
 
 Preheat oven to 300 degrees and grease well a 9-inch springform pan and line
 bottom with parchment paper.
 
 Melt the chocolate in a double boiler over hot, not boiling water. When the
 chocolate is melted, turn off the heat and leave it over the hot water to cool
 slowly.
 
 Meanwhile in a large bowl, beat the butter with 1/4 cup of the sugar until the
 mixture is fluffy and almost white. Add egg yolks and beat for 1 minute. Add
 the almonds and cognac and beat 2 minutes more.
 
 In a separate bowl, beat the egg whites until light and foamy while gradually
 adding the remaining 1/4 cup sugar. Continue beating the whites until they are
 stiff and shiny.
 
 Add the melted chocolate to the egg yolk mixture and mix with a rubber spatula
 until well combined. Fold in 1/4 of this chocolate mixture into the egg
 whites; then gradually fold the egg whites back into the rest of the chocolate
 mixture, taking care not to deflate the batter. Pour the mixture into the
 prepared pan and bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until a tester comes out
 covered with a thick, moist, not wet, and crumby coating. Allow cake to cool
 for 30 minutes in the pan.
 
 Loosen the edges with a knife and carefully turn the cake out onto a plate.
 Remove the parchment paper. Sprinkle with the sugar. Serve at room temperature
 or chilled with whipped cream and raspberries on the side.
 
 Yield: 10 to 12 servings
 
 
 
 
                    - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -