Flourless Chocolate Cake...a little late :-)

I meant to post this recipe before Valentine's Day, but I didn't get around to it. You will just have to think of another excuse, soon, to make it for your sweetheart.

My friend, Susan sent it to me and then brought me a piece to try, yum !!
It is lighter than other flourless chocolate cakes I have made, which is nice.
The recipe she sent me from Epicurious makes a small cake, I found out on line that you can double this recipe just fine. As usual I made a few of my own modifications :-)

Flourless Chocolate Cake
- the small one*

Preheat oven to 375°F( the temperature is different for the larger cake) and butter an 8-inch round baking pan.
Line bottom with a round of parchment paper and butter paper.



Ingredients
4 ounces fine-quality bittersweet chocolate (not unsweetened)
1/2 cup butter

3/4 cup sugar

3 large eggs

1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 teaspoon vanilla or almond extract or any liqueur of your choice
1/2 teaspoon salt.

1) 

Chop chocolate into small pieces.
2) In a double boiler or metal bowl set over a saucepan of barely simmering water, melt chocolate with butter, stirring, until smooth.
3) Remove top of double boiler or bowl from heat and whisk sugar into chocolate mixture.

4) Add eggs and whisk well.
5) Sift 1/2 cup cocoa powder over chocolate mixture and whisk until just combined.

6) Pour batter into pan.

7) Bake in middle of oven 25 minutes, or until top has formed a thin crust. 
8) Cool cake in pan on a rack 5 minutes and invert onto a serving plate, if you plan to serve it immediately. Be careful it is delicate and crumbles easily.
I made mine ahead of time, so after it cooled, I put it in the fridge in the pan.
When I removed it I decided to try a cute trick of making a doily print on top with powdered sugar.

Place the doily on the cake and evenly dust with powered sugar.

 It would have been perfect if I had been more carefully removing the sugar filled doily.

This cake begs for a topping, I decided on fresh whipped cream and strawberry sauce made with balsamic vinegar, blood orange juice and some sugar. It was delightful, tangy and the perfect foil for the chocolate.

*For the larger cake all ingredients listed are doubled. Use a 10 inch spring-form pan.
Bake at a lower 350 F for 35 to 40 minutes. Serves 10 to 12.