Flourless chocolate cake facts for kids
Flourless chocolate cake with vanilla ice cream
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| Type | Cake |
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| Course | Dessert |
A flourless chocolate cake is a rich, chocolatey cake that doesn't use any flour. Instead, it's often made with a special kind of chocolate custard that has lots of air mixed into it.
The first time we know about this type of cake was in Ferrara, Italy. Some stories about how different kinds of this cake started are like old myths! Because it has no gluten, it's a great dessert for people who can't eat gluten, like those with celiac disease, or for special holidays where grains aren't allowed.
Contents
What is Flourless Chocolate Cake?
To make many kinds of flourless chocolate cakes, bakers often whip egg whites by themselves first. Then, they whip egg yolks with sugar. This adds a lot of air, making the cake strong but still light.
The chocolate and butter are melted together, usually in a microwave or over hot water (called a double boiler). When all the ingredients are mixed, the batter only has the natural starch found in chocolate. If you use a special kind of cocoa powder called Dutch cocoa, the cake will be even denser and more like fudge.
Flourless chocolate cakes usually have simple ingredients. These include:
- chocolate
- butter
- eggs
- sugar
- cocoa powder
- vanilla
- salt
Sometimes, people add a dusting of powdered sugar, a chocolate glaze (called ganache), or fresh berries on top. A cake called Torta Caprese also adds almond flour.
Where Did It Come From?
The first known flourless chocolate cake is called La Torta Tenerina. It was first made in Ferrara, Italy, in the year 1900. It's also known as the "Queen of Montenegro." This name came about because it was supposedly served when King Victor Emmanuel III became the king of Italy, making Elena Montenegro the queen. Today, you can still find La Torta Tenerina on many menus in restaurants and bakeries in Ferrara.
Good for Special Diets
For Jewish Holidays
Flourless chocolate cake is a popular dessert for Jewish people during the holiday of Passover. During Passover, people cannot eat grains. This makes flourless chocolate cake one of the few cakes that are allowed during this holiday. Some flourless chocolate cakes for Passover are even made with quinoa. Quinoa is allowed because it wasn't known when the rules for the holiday were first made.
For Gluten-Free Diets
Flourless chocolate cake is a favorite dessert for people who follow gluten-free diets. There are many ways to enjoy it! You can top it with chocolate ganache, add raspberries, or serve it with vanilla ice cream. All these options are safe for people who can't eat gluten or have celiac disease.
If you use different kinds of sugar, this cake can also be enjoyed by people on a keto diet.
Cakes Like It
Torta Caprese is a traditional flourless chocolate cake from the Italian island of Capri. It's similar but includes almond flour. There are many stories about how Torta Caprese began. One story says a baker forgot to add flour! Another says it's a version of an Austrian cake called the Austrian Sachertorte.
Another similar cake that has little or no flour is sometimes called "fallen" or "molten" chocolate cake. This cake became very popular thanks to chefs like Jean-Georges Vongerichten and his restaurants.
See also
In Spanish: Pastel de chocolate sin harina para niños
