Mmmmmmm. Chocolate.

[eimarra]

It is no secret that I love chocolate. White chocolate, milk chocolate, dark chocolate. The chocolate oranges that you whack to break apart, candy bars, chocolate chip cookies, chocolate-covered pretzels, chocolate truffles (easiest ever are from one of Marcel Desaulniers’ cookbooks), hot chocolate on a winter day. A couple of years ago, my husband gave me this luscious chocolate-brown long winter coat for Christmas. Chocolate everything.

In celebration of the “What’s Your Chocolate?” blog hop today, I’m sharing my favorite chocolate recipe, a flourless torte adapted from one that appeared in the first issue of Chocolatier magazine.

Chocolate Torte

1 pound unsalted butter, plus extra for greasing pan
1 pound high quality bittersweet (or semi-sweet) chocolate, chopped
1 cup coffee, brewed and strong
8 extra large eggs
1 cup sugar
1 tablespoon vanilla

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Butter the sides and bottom of a 10 inch spring-form pan, liberally, set aside. (Wrap aluminum foil around pan, from bottom, in case of leaks)

In the top of a double boiler combine butter, chocolate, and coffee and melt slowly. Stir occasionally until smooth. (Alternatively, put all into top of double boiler & cover with plastic wrap. Heat over warm but not boiling water until chocolate begins melting, then whisk smooth.) Remove from heat and let cool (at least 10 minutes–probably warmer than room temperature, but not hot).

Mix until frothy eggs, sugar, and vanilla. Slowly whisk eggs into the melted chocolate until combined. Pour the mixture into the prepared pan. Bake for 1 hour. Cool on a wire rack to room temperature. Run a knife around edge. Remove the side of the pan, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight. (Um, yeah, that’s what the recipe says, but I don’t think I’ve ever managed to not eat it the same day.)

Very good when dusted with powdered sugar, or can be eaten plain.

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What kind of chocolate do you like best? Or what else are you grateful for today?

Originally published at Erin M. Hartshorn. You can comment here or there.