Hmmm, almost every flourless chocolate cake recipe I looked at, including the one I use call for melting chocolate and butter together before adding the eggs. Is it possible the butter was left out of your recipe? It seems like it is an integral part of this cake no matter what recipe variation you use.

Tracey

I agree...where's the butter?

Nope, no butter in the recipe but it could be a typo. I got the recipe off a blog (see link) that says the recipe is adapted from Michel Montignacs book, Slim Forever - The French Way.

Think I'll try one that uses butter. Any recipes that aren't too difficult?

Maybe that's how they stay slim forever--mix up the chocolate cake, get a gloppy mess, then throw it out without eating it!

I'm sorry your recipe didn't work. That's a lot of expensive chocolate to toss in the trash. I hope you were able to salvage it somehow?

This is the recipe I use most often. It's from Rose Levy Berenbaum's Cake Bible, and it has three ingredients--one of which is the butter they left out of the one you tried. It's easy--even though the instructions are longish--and it always comes out great.

Chocolate Oblivion Truffle Torte

1 pound bittersweet chocolate, room temperature*
1/2 pound (1 cup) unsalted butter, room temperature
6 large eggs, room temperature
* Beranbaum's note: Two of my favorites are Lindt Courante and Tobler extra bittersweet. If using Courante chocolate, add 1/3 cup (2.25 ounces/66 grams) sugar to the eggs while beating. If using extra bittersweet, add 3 tablespoons (1.5 ounces/37 grams) sugar. Heidi note: I added 3 tablespoons superfine sugar to the eggs when using the 70% Sharffen Berger.

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Lightly butter a 8-inch springform pan; line the bottom with buttered parchment or wax paper. Wrap of outside of the pan with a double layer of heavy-duty aluminum foil to prevent seepage.

In a large metal bowl set over a pan of hot, not simmering, water (bottom of the bowl should not touch the water) combine the chocolate and butter and let stand, stirring occasionally, until smooth and melted. (The mixture can be melted in the microwave on high power, stirring every 15 seconds. Remove when there are still a few lumps of chocolate and stir until fully melted).

In a large bowl set over a pan of simmering water heat the eggs, stirring constantly to prevent curdling, until just warm to the touch. Remove from the heat and beat, using the whisk beater, until triple in volume and soft peaks form when the beater is raised, about 5 minutes. (To insure maximum volume if using a hand mixer, beat the eggs over simmering water until they are hot to the touch, about 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and beat until cool.)

IMPORTANT: Be sure to add the beaten eggs to the chocolate mixture and not the chocolate to the eggs. This will insure a moist airy texture.

Using a large wire whisk or rubber spatula, fold 1/2 of the eggs into the chocolate mixture until almost incorporated. Fold in the remaining eggs until just blended and no streaks remain. Finish by using a rubber spatula to ensure that the heavier mixture at the bottom is incorporated.

Scrape into the prepared springform pan and smooth with the spatula. Set the pan in the larger pan and surround it with 1-inch very hot water; place on center of middle oven rack. NOTE: Baking in a water bath keeps the texture creamy throughout.

Bake 5 minutes. Cover loosely with a piece of buttered aluminum foil and bake 10 additional minutes. NOTE: The cake will look soft, but this is as it should be.

Remove from oven and let the cake cool on a wire rack for 45 minutes. After cake has cooled, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until very firm, about 3 hours.

To Unmold: Have ready a serving plate and a flat plate at least 8-inches in diameter, covered with plastic wrap. Wipe the sides of the pan with a hot, damp towel. Run a thin metal spatula around the side of the cake and release the sides of the springform pan. Place the plastic-wrapped plate on top and invert. Wipe the bottom of the pan with a hot, damp towel. Remove the bottom of the pan and the parchment. Reinvert onto the serving plate.

Chocolate Torte will store up to 2 weeks refrigerated. Do not freeze because it changes the texture.

When ready to serve, bring to room temperature. Cut into narrow wedges with a thin sharp knife that has been dipped in hot water. When this cake is served at room temperature, you get a rush of chocolate from the moment it enters your mouth. The full flavor of chocolate can best be appreciated only in a softened state. (A chocolate bar, for example, has to start melting in the mouth before the flavor comes through.)

Makes 16 servings.

This one I like.

This is our favorite one-
Flourless Chocolate Torte

Makes 10 servings:

8 ounces bittersweet (not unsweetened) or semi-sweet chocolate, chopped (I used
chips)
1 C. (2 sticks) unsalted butter
8 large egg yolks
1 C. plus 1/3 C. sugar
5 large egg whites

paper doily
fresh raspberries (optional)
raspberry sauce (see recipe)

Preheat oven to 350 degress F. Line bottom of 9 inch springform pan w/ 2 3/4 inch high sides with parchment or wax paper. Stir chocolate and margarine in heavy medium saucepan over low heat until melted and smooth. Remove from heat. Cool until lukewarm.

Using electric mixer, beat yolks and 3/4 cup sugar in large bowl until pale and very thick, about 4 minutes. Add chocolate mixture in 2 additions and beat until well blended. Using clean dry beaters, beat egg whites in another large bowl until foamy. Gradually add 1/4 cup sugar and beat until whites are stiff but not dry. Fold 1/3 of whites into chocolate mixture. Fold in remaining whites in 2 additions. Transfer batter to prepared pan.

Bake torte until crust forms on top and tester inserted into center comes out with some moist batter and some moist crumbs still attached, about 55 minutes (top may crack). Run small sharp knife around torte to loosen. Cool in pan on rack (torte will fall and crack). Remove pan sides. Invert torte onto platter. (Can be prepared 1 day ahead and covered with cake dome and stored at room
temperature.)

Grind 1/3 cup sugar in blender until fine powder forms. Place doily atop torte. Sift ground sugar over doily; gently remove doily. Garnish torte with raspberries, if desired. Serve with raspberry sauce. ( I sprinkled powdered sugar over top instead of grinding my own.)

Raspberry Sauce:
2 12oz. packages frozen unsweetened raspberries, thawed with juices 1 C. sugar

Puree raspberries with juices and sugar in processor until smooth. Transfer mixture to strainer set over bowl; press on solids to extract as much liquid as possible. Discard solids in strainer. (can be made 2 days ahead and refrigerated)

Maureen, too funny! That's an expensive weight loss program!

I'm going to chop the glop cake into little pieces and sprinkle on top of vanilla ice cream to see if it tastes good. If not, I'll just have to toss it and chalk it up to yet another learning experience.

Thanks for all the recipes...with butter!

Here's the healthiest flourless, butterless chocolate cake you will ever eat. I've made it many times for my gluten-free friends.

Garbanzo Bean Chocolate Cake

1 1/2 cups semisweet chocolate chips
19 ounces of canned garbanzo beans, rinsed and drained
4 eggs
3/4 cup white sugar
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp vanilla
confectioners' sugar for dusting

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour (I use rice flour) a 9-inch round cake pan. (springform pan works great; I also use parchment paper on the bottom)

2. Place the chocolate chips into a microwave-safe bowl. Cook in the microwave for about 2 minutes, stirring every 20 seconds after the first minute, until chocolate is melted and smooth. If you have a powerful microwave, reduce the power to 50 percent.

3. Combine the beans and eggs in the bowl of a food processor. Process until smooth (no lumps!).

4. Add the sugar and the baking powder, and pulse to blend. Pour in the melted chocolate and blend until smooth, scraping down the corners to make sure chocolate is completely mixed.

5. Transfer the batter to the prepared cake pan.

Bake for 35-45 minutes in the preheated oven, or until a knife inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean.

Cool in the pan on a wire rack for 10 to 15 minutes before inverting onto a serving plate. Dust with confectioners' sugar after cutting, just before serving.

The cake will crack, but usually comes together again as it cools. It's delicate, and may crumble a bit when cut, but you can squeeze it back together. It freezes really well.

Bonnie

Thanks Bonnie! I never would have thought about putting garbanzo beans in a cheese cake!