Flourless Chocolate Torte

This was the dessert I brought for dinner with friends a few weeks ago. It was VERY rich but absolutely wonderful. The recipe is from my dear friend Dana (and her fabulous recipe blog can be found at Freddie’s Favorite Foods) originally from Sharon Lebewohl’s Signature Flourless chocolate Cake

I served the torte with a very light dusting of powdered sugar and some mostly-thawed frozen strawberries.

Ingredients:

1 pound dark chocolate, chopped (chocolate that is between 65 and 70% cacao) *
2 sticks parve margarine (only parve if you are looking to be kosher)
1/4 cup coffee liqueur
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
7 large eggs, room temperature
1 cup granulated sugar
Powdered sugar

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350°F.

Grease a 9-inch-diameter springform pan with 2 3/4-inch-high sides. Line bottom of pan with parchment paper.

Stir chocolate, margarine, coffee liqueur, and vanilla in heavy large saucepan over low heat until melted and smooth.
Cool to lukewarm.

Using electric mixer, beat eggs and 1 cup sugar in large bowl until thick and pale, and slowly dissolving ribbon forms when beaters are lifted, about 6 minutes. Fold 1/3 of egg mixture into lukewarm (make sure it is not hot or the eggs will cook when you fold them in) chocolate mixture. Fold remaining egg mixture into chocolate mixture.

Place prepared pan on baking sheet. Transfer batter to prepared pan. Bake until tester inserted into center comes out with moist crumbs attached, about 55 minutes. Cool 5 minutes.

Gently press down edges of cake. Cool completely in pan. (Cake can be prepared up to 1 day ahead. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate. Let stand at room temperature 1 hour before continuing.)

Run knife around pan sides to loosen cake. Remove sides of pan; transfer cake to platter. Remove parchment paper.
Sprinkle cake with powdered sugar and serve.

*Since chocolate is the main ingredient, it is important to use the best available chocolate. (I used 8 oz bittersweet chocolate and 8 oz semisweet)