Flourless Chocolate Cake: A Rich Italian-Style Tenerina

There are chocolate cakes, and then there are chocolate cakes that seem to have been created for a character in a decadent Italian novel.

Gabriele D’Annunzio will have to forgive me for borrowing his literary world once again. After all, I have paired his name with butter and chocolate: two ingredients that would surely have appealed to Andrea Sperelli, the pleasure-loving protagonist of Il piacere.

This flourless chocolate cake was born from a recipe I tried years ago, with results that were not quite what I had hoped for. Rather than giving up, I worked on it until I came up with a version I was happy with: intensely chocolatey, rich and wonderfully moist in the middle.

It reminds me of the famous Tenerina cake from Ferrara, in Emilia-Romagna. The original Tenerina is known for its thin, delicate crust and soft, almost fudgy interior. This is my own interpretation, made without flour and with cocoa powder for an extra-deep chocolate flavour.

It is delicious on its own, but a generous spoonful of freshly whipped cream, lightly sweetened, makes it even better. This is not a tall, airy cake: it is meant to be low, rich and indulgent, the kind of dessert best enjoyed slowly with a cup of coffee.

Flourless Chocolate Cake Recipe

Yield

8 servings

Prep time

15 minutes

Resting time

Until completely cool

Cooking time

20–25 minutes

Ingredients

• 150 g dark chocolate
• 150 g sugar
• 100 g butter
• 65 g unsweetened cocoa powder
• 3 eggs
• Icing sugar, for dusting (optional)

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F). Grease a 24 cm springform cake tin or line the base with baking paper.
2. Melt the dark chocolate and butter together in a heatproof bowl over a pan of gently simmering water, or carefully in the microwave. Stir until smooth and glossy.
3. Add the sugar and sifted cocoa powder, mixing well until no lumps remain. Leave the mixture to cool until it is no longer hot.
4. Separate the eggs. Stir the egg yolks into the cooled chocolate mixture, one at a time, until fully incorporated.
5. In a clean bowl, whisk the egg whites until stiff peaks form.
6. Gently fold the whipped egg whites into the chocolate mixture in several additions, taking care not to knock out too much air.
7. Pour the batter into the prepared tin and bake for 20–25 minutes. The cake should be set around the edges but remain moist in the centre.
8. Leave the cake to cool completely before removing it from the tin. Dust with icing sugar just before serving, if desired.

Notes

• Don't expect a tall cake. This flourless chocolate cake is naturally low and dense, with a delicate crust and a moist centre.
• Avoid overbaking. The centre should remain soft. Start checking at the 20-minute mark, as ovens vary.
• Let it cool completely. The cake is delicate while warm and will become easier to handle as it cools.
• How to serve it: Try it with freshly whipped cream lightly sweetened with sugar. Fresh berries are another lovely accompaniment.
• Storage: Keep any leftovers in an airtight container. For the best texture, bring the cake to room temperature before serving.