Flourless Chocolate Cake

Perfect for Passover or the gluten-free set, but so good you'll want to make this all year long!

Flourless chocolate cake is so easy to make, it's almost no different than making a brownie! They key to stellar flourless chocolate cake is to use high-quality ingredients. The chocolate and cocoa powder should be the best you can get. Even the vanilla and butter should be the best! A spring form pan is a must for easy removal. A dusting of powdered sugar makes for the simplest and most elegant decoration. Serve the cake with fresh berries, caramel sauce and sea salt, or coffee ice cream...yes, vanilla ice cream and whipped cream work, too!

Equipment: dry and wet measuring cups; measuring spoons; mixing bowls; whisk; rubber spatula; small saucepan; 9- or 10-inch springform pan; parchment paper

1 cup (2 sticks) butter, cut into pieces 1¾ cups semisweet chocolate chips 1 cup sugar 1 cup sifted unsweetened cocoa powder 6 large eggs

½ teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon vanilla

powdered sugar for garnish

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a springform pan and line the bottom with parchment paper.

2. Stir butter and chocolate in heavy small saucepan over low heat until melted, then set aside.

3. Mix sugar and cocoa in large bowl. Add the eggs; whisk until well blended. Add vanilla and salt.

4. Whisk chocolate-butter mixture into the cocoa-sugar-egg mixture until well combined. Pour batter into the prepared pan.

5. Bake for about 45 minutes, or until tester inserted into center comes out clean. Cool cake completely in pan on rack.

6. Run knife around pan sides to loosen cake. Release pan sides and remove the cake. Once cool, dust with powdered sugar to decorate.

Makes 12-16 servings.

The cake can be made one day ahead and then covered and refrigerated before serving.

Buy the Best You Can Find!

Droste is my favorite cocoa powder. I love the color and texture of this Dutch-process cocoa. While I cannot find it in my regular grocery store, I do find it easily in specialty stores or high-end grocers. It's more expensive than what you find in a regular store, but it's that much better, which translates directly to the finished dish!