Recipe: Flourless chocolate almond cake.

The following cake is delicious, and does not have flour in it.

The recipe originates in a small Italian coffee shop cookbook I have, but I have altered it since I can’t seem to follow anyone’s directions without tweaking them a bit. The cake will be very dense, gooey and moist, almost like a brownie. It will neither look nor behave like a “typical” cake, so you shouldn’t overbake it in the expectation of achieving that. It has an entirely different texture altogether, and using the word “cake” in its description is almost a misnomer.

• 1 C sugar
• 4 eggs, separated
• 13 tbs butter, melted and cooled
• 1 C mini chocolate chips
• 1 1/2 C almonds, finely chopped
• 2 tbs amaretto (optional)
• 1 1/2 tsp cinnamon

Beat the sugar and egg yolks until fluffy. Add the butter slowly, and then the almonds, chocolate, amaretto, and cinnamon. Set aside. In a clean bowl, whip the egg whites until stiff. Fold into the almond mixture until well mixed. Pour into either a 9″ or 10″ springform or regular round cake pan. If you use a regular pan, be sure to put paper on the bottom. Grease the pan you use well for easy release later. Bake at 350 for about 30 minutes.

The top will get a bit dark, and the center will still wiggle a bit when you take it out. Let it cool and settle back down in the pan. You could refrigerate or place in the freezer for a bit before releasing it from the pan if you intend to place it on a tray or serving dish and want it to come out easily. Dust with powdered sugar on the top.

You can go to the gym later.