Chocolate Almond Torte (GF)

Chocolate Almond Torte on a white cake plate.

5 from 1 vote

Chocolate Almond Torte (GF)

This Chocolate Almond Torte is a rich, flourless dessert made with almonds, pecans, and a smooth chocolate ganache. Perfect for Passover or any occasion!

Prep Time25

Cook Time20

Total Time45

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: Italian

Diet: Gluten Free

Servings: people

Calories: 525kcal

Author: Gwen Wolken

Equipment

Ingredients

8 oz semi-sweet chocolate chopped
¼ lb unsalted butter or margarine, room temperature and cut into small pieces.
2 tbsps water ,orange juice, or coffee
½ cup blanched chopped almonds
½ cup pecans chopped, or walnuts
½ cup sugar divided
⅓ cup potato starch or flour
4 eggs room temperature, separated

Glaze

6 oz semi-sweet chocolate chopped
6 tbsps unsalted butter or margarine, cut into small pieces
whole or sliced almonds garnish

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 375℉.
Grease a 9" cake pan. Cut parchment or waxed paper to fit the bottom of the pan and then grease the paper.
In a medium microwave-safe bowl, melt the chocolate, butter, and water in 20 second intervals until melted. Stir until smooth.
8 oz semi-sweet chocolate, ¼ lb unsalted butter, 2 tbsps water
In a food processor, pulse the almonds and pecans with ¼ cup of sugar until finely ground.
½ cup blanched chopped almonds, ½ cup pecans, ½ cup sugar
Add in the potato starch and pulse until incorporated.
⅓ cup potato starch
Add the chocolate mixture and pulse until incorporated.
Mix in the egg yolks and combine. Set aside.
4 eggs
Add the egg whites to a large bowl. Using an electric mixer, beat the egg whites until soft peaks form.
Slowly add in the remaining ¼ cup sugar, one tablespoon at a time, until stiff, but not dry peaks form.
Gently fold the chocolate mixture into the egg whites until incorporated.
Pour the batter into a prepared pan and bake for 20 minutes or until the sides feel firm but the middle remains slightly soft. A knife inserted near the center should come out slightly creamy.
Remove to a wire rack and cool. The cake will shrink while cooling.
When cool, turn the cake out of the pan. (You can wrap the cake in foil and refrigerate up to 3 days or freeze.)

Glaze

Place the chocolate and the butter into a 4-quart microwave-safe bowl. Microwave in twenty-second intervals until the chocolate has melted. Stir until smooth.
6 oz semi-sweet chocolate, 6 tbsps unsalted butter
If the glaze is very thin, set it aside until it thickens up enough to coat the cake.

Frost

Line a small baking sheet with waxed paper. Place the cake on a rack over the baking sheet.
Pour the glaze onto the middle of the cake, tilting the cake so it runs down the sides.
Spread the sides but do not spread the top or you will see knife marks.
Garnish with a border of almonds.
Let sit at room temperature uncovered until the glaze sets. It can be left overnight uncovered.

Notes

This is a dense, flourless torte, and the center should remain slightly soft and creamy when tested. The cake will continue to set as it cools and may shrink slightly around the edges, which is expected. Using good-quality chocolate is important since chocolate is the primary flavor in both the cake and the glaze.

For flavor variations, fresh espresso, strong coffee, or orange juice all work well in the chocolate base. If you choose orange juice, adding a bit of orange zest to the batter or finishing the cake with candied orange peel brings a nice brightness that pairs well with the chocolate.

To keep the torte dairy-free for Passover, butter can be replaced with margarine. Potato starch provides the best structure for a Passover-friendly version, though flour may be used outside of Passover. The cake can be baked up to two days in advance and stored tightly wrapped in the refrigerator. For longer storage, freeze the unglazed cake for up to two months, thawing overnight in the refrigerator before glazing. For the cleanest slices, use a sharp knife and wipe it clean between cuts.

Nutrition