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Flourless chocolate cake

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Flourless chocolate cake
Flourless chocolate cake with vanilla ice cream
TypeCake
CourseDessert
A slice of flourless quinoa chocolate cake on a white plate
Quinoa chocolate cake

Flourless chocolate cake is a dense cake made from an aerated chocolate custard.[1] The origin of the cake is not clear.[2] The dessert contains no gluten, which makes it acceptable for those with celiac disease,[3] gluten-free diets, and during religious holidays in which gluten and grains are not permitted.[4]

Overview

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A traditional baking method for a variety of flourless chocolate cakes involves whipping the whites alone and then whipping the yolks into the sugar to increase the air content. The overall effect of this process is a sturdy, but light cake.[5] The chocolate and butter are melted together in either a microwave or double boiler. Once all the ingredients are combined, the resulting batter contains only the starch naturally present in the chocolate.[1] The use of Dutch cocoa powder instead of simple cocoa powder will allow the cake to have a denser fudge-like consistency that the cake is known for.[6] Flourless chocolate cakes typically use simple ingredients including: chocolate, butter, eggs, sugar, cocoa powder, vanilla, salt, and an optional dusting of powdered sugar, chocolate ganache, or berries.[5]

Special diets

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In Jewish cuisine

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Flourless chocolate cake is a common dessert among Jews during the holiday of Passover since leavened grains cannot be consumed during that holiday.[7]

In gluten-free diets

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Flourless chocolate cake is a popular dessert in gluten-free diets. There are several varieties including topping the cake with a chocolate ganache, adding raspberries, or it is frequently served with vanilla ice cream, all of which can be enjoyed by those with gluten-free and celiac-appropriate diets.[citation needed]

The use of alternative sugars would allow this cake to be enjoyed by those on a keto diet as well.[8]

Versions and similar cakes

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The River Café's "chocolate nemesis" is a version of a flourless chocolate cake, with only four ingredients, eggs, sugar, chocolate and butter.[9] Flourless chocolate cake has a number of myths surrounding its origins including a baker forgetting to add the flour, and that it's a version of an Austrian cake called the Austrian Sachertorte.[2] A similar cake with little or no flour is known as "fallen" or "molten" chocolate cake and was popularized by, among others, Jean-Georges Vongerichten's restaurants.[10]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b Baking illustrated: a best recipe classic (1st ed.). Brookline, MA: America's Test Kitchen. 2004. ISBN 0-936184-75-2. OCLC 54454496.
  2. ^ a b "Tales of a dolce born by mistake in a corner of Paradise". www.itchefs-gvci.com. Retrieved 2021-04-28.
  3. ^ "Flourless Chocolate Cake". Eat! Gluten-Free. 2020-06-15. Retrieved 2021-04-28.
  4. ^ Wolly, Brian. "A Gentile's Guide to Keeping Kosher for Passover". Smithsonian Magazine. Retrieved 2021-04-28.
  5. ^ a b "Italian Chocolate-Almond Cake". www.cooksillustrated.com. Retrieved 2021-04-28.
  6. ^ "Different Types of Chocolate and How to Use Them". www.cooksillustrated.com. Retrieved 2021-04-17.
  7. ^ "Flourless Chocolate Cake". Retrieved 28 June 2021.
  8. ^ Childress, Logan (2018-02-14). "Keto Flourless Chocolate Cake". Better Than Bread Keto. Archived from the original on 2021-04-17. Retrieved 2021-04-17.
  9. ^ "Chocolate Nemesis Recipe". Shop The River Café. Retrieved 28 August 2024.
  10. ^ "Molten Chocolate Cakes Recipe". Food & Wine. Retrieved 2021-04-17.
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