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	peggy's kitchen

Gluten-Free Flourless Chocolate Cake

By Carol Fenster, Ph.D.

This recipe demonstrates the quick and easy principle of maximizing your effort through the use of time-saving appliances such as a food processor. The nuts are ground in the food processor and the remaining ingredients are then added and mixed in the same food processor—saving tons of time and leaving only one bowl to wash. Serve this cake with a dollop of whipped cream and your favorite fresh berries, a shaving of dark chocolate, or a few (gluten-free) chocolate-covered espresso beans.

• 2 cups whole almonds (measure before grinding)
• 1 cup packed light brown sugar
• 5 large eggs, at room temperature
• ½ cup canola oil
• ½ cup unsweetened Dutch process cocoa powder
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon almond extract
• ½ teaspoon salt

Preheat the oven to 350 F. Grease an 8-inch nonstick (gray, not black) springform pan. Line the bottom with wax paper or parchment paper and grease again; set aside.

Grind nuts in a food processor to a fine, mealy texture.

Add the brown sugar, eggs, oil, cocoa, vanilla extract, and almond extract and process 30 to 40 seconds. Scrape down the sides of bowl and process 30 more seconds.

Transfer the batter to the prepared pan. Bake 40 to 45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into center comes out clean. (The cake rises as it bakes, then falls slightly as it cools.) Let cool 15 minutes in the pan on a wire rack. Cut around the edge to loosen the cake from pan edges. Release the pan side; remove the paper liner.

Carol Fenster Ph.D. is one of the world's most respected authorities on gluten-free cooking, and this recipe comes from her cookbook, GLUTEN-FREE Quick & Easy: From Prep to Plate Without the Fuss—200+ Recipes for People with Food Sensitivities. Gluten-intolerant for nearly 20 years, Carol offers hundreds of easy-to-prepare recipes and a collection of handy shortcuts, tips, and techniques for gluten-free cooking "the quick and easy way."