Flourless Chocolate & Almond Cake

Ingredients...

- 200g dark, bitter chocolate
- 1 tbsp strong espresso coffee
- 1 tbsp rum or brandy
- 150g caster sugar
- 150g butter (I used unsalted)
- 100g ground almonds
- 5 eggs, separated
- Icing sugar for dusting
- Pinch of salt (optional, but I feel salt enhances the flavour of chocolate or any bakes)



How to...

1. Melt the chocolate, coffee, rum or brandy, sugar and butter (and salt, if using) in a bowl sitting in a pot of barely simmering water. Remove from the heat and stir until well mixed.

2. Add the ground almonds and mix well. Beat in the egg yolks, one by one.

3. Beat the egg whites until stiff and peaky, and stir a couple of spoonfuls into the chocolate mixture to lighten it, before gently folding in the rest.
*add whites to chocolate! not the other way around.

4. Turn into a buttered and floured 20cm (8in) round or square cake tin and bake at 180°C for 40 to 50 mins (less if you like it fudgey, more if you like it cakey).

5. Leave to cool before removing gently from the tin, and dust with icing sugar to serve.


this flourless cake taste mousse-y, so don't think that it is under cook!