The Well Plated Cookbook is now available for pre-order! Flourless Chocolate Torte
This easy (and I mean easy) Flourless Chocolate Torte recipe and I are long and faithful friends. Its silky-smooth texture, sinfully chocolaty flavor, and ability to be easily adapted to different tastes, toppings, and flavors makes it the perfect guest at any gathering. If you’re unsure of your ability to make an impressive dessert, are looking for a dessert you can make ahead (and even freeze!), or if chocolate is the love language of your soul, this easy chocolate torte recipe is sure to be a devoted companion of yours too.
Because Flourless Chocolate Torte is so dangerously easy to make (we are talking one bowl and less than 15 minutes of prep here, friends!), it’s one of my go-tos for dinner parties or potlucks when I need a fast dessert that’s guaranteed to please. I’ve tried a few different recipes over the years, but today’s is unquestionably the best flourless chocolate torte I’ve ever baked.
This recipe is thicker and richer than any other chocolate torte cake you’ll try, and it has a subtle almond flavor that makes it truly special.
Flourless Chocolate Torte—The Go-To Dessert Recipe
The recipe belongs to my friend Kenzie, who served it at an engagement party we were hosting for one of our girlfriends last year.
When I asked her more about it, Kenzie told me (in her devastatingly charming Mississippi accent, no less), “You know how everyone needs a little dessert in their back pocket that you can whip up, take anywhere, and will always be a hit? This is mine!”
Up until the moment this Flourless Chocolate Torte entered my life, I would have told you my go-to, back-pocket dessert was this Chocolate Ganache Tart.
Although I do still love that recipe, today’s chocolate torte cake has some serious advantages.
First and foremost: this might be the easiest from-scratch dessert I’ve ever baked. The ingredients are stirred together in a single bowl, it’s flexible (as Kenzie stated, “You can add whatever you want! I usually do rum.”), and since flourless chocolate torte is a gluten free dessert, it’s a good recipe to bring to gatherings where you aren’t sure of the guests’ dietary restrictions.
Thus far, I’ve brought Kenzie’s Flourless Chocolate Torte to a four-person dinner party, where everyone had far too large of slices (or so we told ourselves when we were reaching for another) and what remained leftover was quickly spoken for and sent home on paper plates.
I’ve lost count of how many times I’ve made this Flourless Chocolate Torte since Kenzie shared the recipe with me.
Sometimes, I cut it into very small, very innocent-looking squares, arrange them on a cake plate, then observe quietly as every bite is devoured. This set up works especially well for larger gatherings where guests are moving about, and any situation where polite company is likely to pretend that they are only having “just one small piece.”
One pieces, seven pieces. I won’t tell if you won’t!
This Flourless Chocolate Torte tastes even better on the second day and is freezer friendly. If you want to prep it in advance for a party, it’s an ideal make-ahead dessert. Need to freeze leftovers for later (a.k.a. hide them from yourself?). This recipe has you covered there too.
How to Serve Chocolate Torte
This recipe is splendid on its own and needs little more than a light dusting of powdered sugar to shine. If you want to make it extra special, here are some ideas:
- Flourless Chocolate Torte with Ganache. You can try serving the chocolate torte with ganache (here’s a stellar ganache recipe), but be warned it will be exceptionally, over-the-top decadent (not necessarily a bad thing!).
- Flourless Chocolate Torte with Raspberry Sauce. Raspberry pairs beautifully with the chocolate. The raspberry sauce on top of these mini cheesecakes is lovely (I usually double it to make sure we have plenty to go around).
- Mini Chocolate Tortes. I’ve had a few requests to make this recipe as mini chocolate tortes. I haven’t tried this yet myself, but one reader reported having success dividing the batter between three mini springform pans (each just shy of 4 inches in diameter) and baking for 19 minutes.
Recommended Tools to Make This Torte
Flourless Chocolate Torte
Ingredients
- 9 ounces good-quality dark chocolate - 65% or higher, finely chopped
- 9 ounces unsalted butter - (Kenzie recommends European-style, such as Kerrygold) (18 tablespoons)
- 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
- 7 large eggs - at room temperature
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1/4 teaspoon pure almond extract
- If you are feeling dangerous: a few tablespoons rum - bourbon, or whiskey (Kenzie puts in "a splash")
- Optional - for serving: powdered sugar, berries, and/or sweetened whipped cream
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Grease and line a 9-inch springform pan with parchment paper. Grease again.
- Melt the chocolate and butter together in a double boiler or in a microwave-safe bowl, until the chocolate is almost completely melted. Remove from heat and stir until smooth and totally melted. Stir in the sugar, then let cool for a few minutes.
- Add the eggs, one at a time, fully combining between each addition. After all the eggs are added, continue to stir until the batter becomes thick, glossy, and utterly gorgeous. Stir in the vanilla extract, almond extract, and any optional boozy addition you desire.
- Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Bake 30-35 minutes, until the torte jiggles slightly in the middle but is not completely set. Begin checking at the 30-minute mark to ensure the torte does not overbake. Let cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then unmold. Dust with powdered sugar. Cut into wedges and serve alone or with whipped cream, berries, or anything else your heart desires.
Notes
- Make ahead: This recipe can be made in advance, cooled completely, and stored in the refrigerator, tightly wrapped, for up to 3 days. To store longer, let cool completely, press a sheet of plastic on top of the torte, and place in an airtight container. Freeze for up to 3 months. Let thaw overnight in the refrigerator. Dust with powdered sugar right before serving.
- This recipe is an adaptation of my friend Kenzie's Flourless Chocolate Torte. Her original recipe called for a slightly smaller cake in a regular 8-inch round pan that you bake, flip out upside down onto a plate, then turn back over to be right side up. I thought an easier way to achieve the same end would be to use a springform pan. Since springforms are usually sold in a 9-inch size, I scaled the recipe up a little to accommodate the larger pan size. A little extra chocolate torte is never a bad thing, right?
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