FLOURLESS CHOCOLATE
ALMOND CAKE

Chocolate Cake

16 ounces milk chocolate morsels (such as Hershey’s)

1 cup heavy cream

1 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar, divided

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter

2 pinches salt

1 cup sliced toasted almonds

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

8 eggs at room temperature, separated

1/4 cup amaretto liquor

2 tablespoons sliced toasted almonds for garnish

Ganache Frosting

8 ounces semisweet chocolate morsels

3/4 cup heavy cream

2 tablespoons sugar

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

For the cake, in a saucepan over medium heat, melt the chocolate morsels, heavy cream, and 1/2 cup of the sugar until smooth, stirring constantly. Whisk in the butter. Add the salt, and set aside.

Mix 1 cup of the toasted almonds and the vegetable oil in a blender until smooth, adding more vegetable oil if needed. Stir the almonds into the melted chocolate.

In a mixing bowl whisk together the egg yolks and 2 tablespoons of the sugar until pale yellow and a ribbon forms when a small amount falls back into the bowl. Stir into the chocolate.

In a separate bowl beat the egg whites until medium peaks form. Add the remaining 1/2 cup sugar in thirds until hard peaks form. Fold the meringue into the chocolate by thirds.

Preheat the oven to 350°. Grease and flour a 15-inch springform pan. Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Bake for approximately 20 minutes. The cake will rise and crack at the top. Let it cool.

For the frosting, in a saucepan over medium-low heat melt the chocolate morsels, heavy cream, and sugar until smooth. Whisk in the butter. Cool.

To serve, pour the ganache on the cake until the center of the cake is covered, reserving some ganache for serving. Sprinkle 1 tablespoon of the toasted almonds around the edge of the cake.

Garnish each slice of cake with 1 teaspoon of the remaining ganache and sprinkle with the remaining toasted almonds. This cake is very rich and goes a long way.

Makes 16 servings.