My ever so popular flourless chocolate cake recipe… This is hands down the easiest make ahead chocolate cake ever! Fail proof and it is gluten free as well!
This chocolate cake is the very first gluten free dessert that I made.
I was preparing dinner for a few friends and one of them is gluten intolerant and because of that here’s a my challenge to keep dinner gluten free!
I had never made a flourless chocolate cake recipe before.
Flourless Chocolate Cake Recipe
But there is a first time for everything, no?
Alright, long story short.
My friend was very happy with this cake my other guests were never aware of the fact that I hadn’t included gluten in my dinner.
Winner Dinner
Good to know…
When this flourless chocolate cake comes out of the oven, it is quite wobbly and you get the impression that it hasn’t set at all. Don’t worry, because here is the catch!
Your flourless chocolate cake recipe isn’t done yet. It needs to rest, chill and set overnight in the fridge to get its unique taste and texture.
Make Ahead Dessert
Well this flourless chocolate cake sounds like a great make ahead dessert to make in advance to me! Make the cake the day before, and all you have to do when your guests have polished off their dinner plates is to slice the cake up.
And you are all set!
Make Ahead Flourless Chocolate Cake Recipe
This flourless chocolate cake recipe really tastes wonderful.
The cake gets that very interesting texture the day after. It is moist, rich, chocolaty and flavorful… Everything you love about a chocolate cake! That strong espresso really makes a difference – if you love an intense coffee flavor that is.
Are you not a coffee fan?
Then you can replace the coffee by water or simply milk just in case. The sauce that I used to drizzle the cake with, is simply melted salted caramel ice cream.
Gluten Free
All in all this is a great gluten-free dessert!
Are you looking for more gluten free dessert ideas?
Then you should also try out my flourless almond cake! Another gorgeous home baked treat.
So here is my famous flourless chocolate cake recipe… The easiest make ahead chocolate cake ever! Fail proof and it is even gluten free as well!
Enjoy!
Gluten Free Flourless Chocolate Cake Recipe
My ever so popular flourless chocolate cake recipe... This is hands down the easiest make ahead chocolate cake ever! Fail proof and it is gluten free as well!
- ½ lb dark chocolate (225 g)
- ½ lb unsalted butter (225 g), diced
- ½ cup strong espresso (120 ml), or milk or water
- 3,5 oz brown sugar (100 g)
- 4 small eggs
- salt
Bring a small pan of water to a boil over medium heat. Put a larger heat-resistant glass bowl on top. Break or chop up the dark chocolate into smaller pieces. Add both chocolate and butter to the bowl.
Let them both melt over the boiling water bath (bain marie). Stir the melted butter and chocolate well until you get a glossy chocolate mix. Pour in the strong espresso and add the brown sugar as well. Season with a pinch of salt.
- Mix the melted chocolate well again and take the glass bowl off the heat. Let it cool down for 10 minutes (to prevent the eggs from scrambling later).
- Once cooled, break the eggs and add them to the chocolate mixture.
- Stir firmly until you get a silky but airy chocolate batter. Line a 6-inch (15 cm) diameter cake springform tin with baking paper. Pour in the chocolate batter.
- Put the springform tin in another larger oven tray or dish and fill it with cold tap water.
- Put the tray and the springform tin in a preheated oven at 356°F (180°C) for 40 minutes. After that turn off the heat in the end but leave the cake in the hot oven for another 20 to 25 minutes. Then remove it and let the cake cool down fully in its springform tin.
- Place the cake in the fridge overnight to chill and set. Next day carefully take it out of its springform tin. Gently peel away the baking paper. Cut the cake into wedges and serve.
Gluten Free Diets (GFD)
So here we are!
Do you know what gluten free exactly means?
I am sure that you know at least one person in your circles who suffers from some type of gluten allergy. A gluten free diet (GFD) is a diet that excludes gluten, a protein you can find in wheat, barley, rye and all their species and hybrids (to name some: spelt, kamut and triticale).
Gluten
I have read many conflicting opinions about oats.
Oats themselves don’t contain gluten.
However they are often used and processed in factories that also work with gluten-containing grains. Better check the package for more information. A certain product may be contaminated or risk not being totally gluten free.
Flourless Chocolate Cake Recipe
Now I mentioned earlier in this post that my friend who was staying for dinner was also gluten intolerant. She was the reason that I made this flourless chocolate cake recipe the other day. People with celiac disease can’t tolerate gluten at all.
So she has a medical reason why she can’t eat any type of gluten. Me as a food blogger I come across more and more people who have food allergies and intolerances.
It is becoming increasingly common.
Food Allergies
Over the past couple of years doctors and hospitals have seen a significant rise in the amount of patients with food-related allergies and intolerances. In that case eating gluten free is simply necessary for someone to feel much better and stay healthier.
OK so that is the medical side of gluten intolerance.
But have you ever heard before of people who voluntarily choose for a gluten free diet just like you would decide one day to become a vegetarian or a vegan?
It is yet another hip type of diet that has become more and more popular.
Health Benefits of GFD
This made me curious to know what exactly are the health benefits of a gluten free diet.
Well the biggest reason why people choose for a gluten free diet: cutting out gluten from your diet is like going on a low carb diet: people use this food diet very often to loose weight.
There is no scientific proof that gluten free diets are healthier if you don’t suffer from any type of gluten allergy. By saying that I mean that you can feel totally happy with this gluten free diet, but pure medically speaking it won’t make you much healthier.
Gluten Free Ingredients
Nowadays you can find plenty of gluten free alternative products and meal options in supermarkets. Think of foods such as gluten free breads, pasta, sauces and stuff. Even restaurants include gluten free dishes in their dinner menus.
So let’s see what food contains gluten.
What type of foods do people with a gluten-free allergy avoid? Bread, pasta, pizza, cereals, beer, fried food, deli meats and any type of pastry – those are the classic gluten foods.
Ingredients with Gluten
Gluten can also be found in foods you didn’t expect: soy sauce, spice mixes, rubs and seasonings, chocolate, soups, ready meals and frozen foods such as ice cream, whisky and bourbon and seitan. I even read that certain types of toothpaste contain gluten!
Alternatives
Here is a handful of gluten free alternatives that are safe to eat: beans, seeds, nuts, potatoes, corn and rice are safe. So are buckwheat, cassava, millet, quinoa, soy and tapioca.
So if you want to be absolutely sure about what you buy and eat, check the package first and look for any ingredients that can cause you harm.
Also check whether this product is processed in a factory that also processes gluten food and can therefore be contaminated.
Back to our flourless chocolate cake recipe again…
Enjoy!