Flourless Chocolate Cake With Almonds

Prep Time: 15 min
Cook Time: 30 min
Level of Difficulty: Advanced

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons trans-fat-free margarine or unsalted butter
• 1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder
• ½ cup blanched almonds
• ½ cup sugar
• 3 ounces bittersweet chocolate
• ½ cup fat-free sour cream
• ¼ cup sugar substitute
• 2 egg yolks
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• ¼ teaspoon almond extract (optional)
• 5 egg whites, at room temperature
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• 1 tablespoon toasted slivered almonds (optional)

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F.
   Generously coat a 9" springform pan with 2 teaspoons of the margarine or butter and dust with the cocoa powder. (Don’t tap out the excess cocoa; leave it in the pan.)
   In a food processor, combine the blanched almonds with 2 tablespoons of the sugar. Process until finely ground.
   In the top of a double boiler over barely simmering water, melt the chocolate and the remaining 4 teaspoons butter, stirring occasionally, until smooth. Remove from the heat. Place the chocolate mixture in a large bowl. Add the almond mixture, sour cream, sugar substitute, egg yolks, vanilla extract, almond extract (if using) and ¼ cup of the remaining sugar. Stir until well-blended.
2. In a large bowl, with an electric mixer on high speed, beat the egg whites and salt until frothy. Gradually add the remaining 2 tablespoons sugar, beating until stiff, glossy peaks form.
3. Stir one-quarter of the beaten whites into the chocolate mixture to lighten it. Gently fold in the remaining whites until no white streaks remain. Place in the prepared pan. Gently smooth the top.
4. Bake for 30 minutes, or until the cake has risen, the top is dry and a wooden pick inserted in the center comes out with a few moist crumbs.
5. Place the pan on a rack and cool until warm. The cake will fall dramatically. Loosen the edges of the cake with a knife and remove the pan sides. Sprinkle with the toasted almonds, if using.

Nutrition at a Glance (per serving)

• Calories:150
• Total fat: 9g
• Saturated fat: 0g
• Cholesterol: 35mg
• Sodium: 95mg
• Total carbohydrate: 14g
• Dietary fiber: 1g
• Protein: 5g