12 oz Semi-sweet chocolate 1/3 c Ground almonds
3/4 lb Sweet butter 1 tb All-purpose flour
8 Egg yolks 1/4 c Cornmeal
1 c Brown sugar 8 Egg whites
1/3 c White sugar 1 tb Cream of tartar
In a large saucepan over very low heat, melt chocolate. Add butter,
stir until melted and remove from heat (the mixture should be body
temperature, not too hot to touch with a finger).
In a large bowl, combine egg yolks, brown and white sugar, and stir
until well mixed. Add the chocolate, and stir well until combined.
In a small bowl, combine almonds, flour and cornmeal, stir until well
mixed. Pour this into the chocolate and stir until combined.
In a large bowl with an electric mixer, beat the egg whites with
cream of tartar until they form stiff peaks.
Fold the egg whites into the chocolate in three batches. Chef Dale
Nichols warns that folding egg whites into chocolate takes a real
knack and suggests using your hand as the paddle. To do this by
hand, use your hand as a paddle and push your palm down to the centre
of the bowl, and slide up the side of the bowl and turn your hand
over. Do not over-mix or you will knock the air out of the egg whites
causing a much denser texture.
Bake in a buttered, floured 10 inch spring form pan for 5 minutes at
400F. Reduce heat to 350F and bake for another 20 to 30 minutes, or
until cake tests done in the centre. Let cool completely before
removing from pan.
Yields
8 servings