It’s the most wonderful time of the year…I love the holidays! Ever since I was a little girl, I loved celebrating the New Year. Family and friends came to celebrate with us on New Year's Eve and New Year's Day. The kids watched movies, played games, and ran around while the adults drank mulled wine and caught up. When it came time to eat, we had everything from pigs in blankets to paella, depending on the mood my mother was in.
Frankly, I don’t care how you celebrate the New Year. I think the important thing is spending time with people you care about, taking a moment’s rest from the hamster wheel that so many of us now run on all year long, and reminding ourselves about what’s important: health and people. A roof over our heads. Warmth on a cold night. Good gluten-free food in our stomachs.
For 2023, I wish you all health, happiness, and a break from the everyday.
And chocolate cake.
So here’s a special treat, a recipe for flourless chocolate cake that originated with a woman named Marcy on the old St Johns Celiac List. It’s changed a bit since she first shared it with me in the 1990s, and we’ve lost touch over those years. But I still think of Marcy every time I make it.
You need an electric mixer and several bowls. Be sure to clean and dry the beater blades thoroughly between beating the whites and the yolks.
Marcy's Gluten-Free Flourless Chocolate Cake
Prep: 30 minutes. Bake: 35 minutes.
Ingredients
10 ounces (300 grams) semisweet (50-64%) chocolate
100 grams butter
7 eggs, separated into whites and yolks
1/3 c sugar
Powdered or confectioner’s sugar for topping
Preheat oven to 350˚F/180˚C
Line a springform pan with parchment paper and coat the inside with cocoa powder.
Melt the butter and chocolate together, mix thoroughly, and set aside to cool.
In a separate bowl, whip the egg whites until they are foamy, with tiny bubbles throughout. Add the sugar and beat until the mixture makes stiff peaks.
In a third bowl and using clean beaters, whip the yolks until they are yellow and frothy, with medium to large bubbles. Then slowly add in the chocolate and mix at a low speed.
Last, gently fold in the egg whites with a spatula and combine until well blended. Do this slowly and gently so you don't deflate the egg whites.
Spread the batter into the springform pan. Bake for 30-40 mins, until a toothpick stuck into the cake comes out almost clean. Cool before removing the outer ring. I usually leave the cake sitting on the bottom of the pan and move it all to a serving plate.
Serve plain or sprinkled with powdered sugar.
This and more recipes like it are available in my Easy, Tasty, Gluten Free Cookbook. Why not buy yourself a New Year's gift today?