This rich chocolate torte is even more festive when served with a vanilla cranberry compote.

Flourless Chocolate Torte

Makes 1 9-inch cake

Serves 10-12

10 oz bittersweet chocolate, chopped

3/4 cup unsalted butter, cut into pieces

3 egg whites

5 egg yolks

2 Tbsp + 1/4 cup sugar

1 tsp vanilla extract

1)  Preheat the oven to 300 °F.  Grease a 9-inch springform pan, line the bottom with parchment, then grease and dust the entire pan with sugar, tapping out any excess.

2)  Melt the chocolate and butter in a metal or glass bowl placed over a pot of barely simmering water, stirring constantly.   Once melted, remove the bowl from the heat and let cool slightly.

3)  Whip the egg whites with 2 Tbsp sugar until the whites hold a soft peak (when the whites curl when the beaters are lifted).  Set aside.

4)  In another bowl, whip the egg yolks with the remaining 1/4 cup of sugar and the vanilla until doubled in volume, about 4 minutes.  Fold the melted chocolate mixture into the whipped yolks, and then fold the whites into the mixture in 2 additions.  Spread the batter into the prepared pan.

5)  Bake the torte for 35 minutes.  As soon as you remove the cake from the oven it will begin to fall, but it is supposed to.  Cool the cake to room temperature then chill for at least 2 hours before slicing and serving.

The cake should be stored refrigerated and sliced while cold, but if you can, allow the cake slices to sit out at room temperature for 10 to 20 minutes before serving to really let that melt-in-your-mouth warmth build.

Courtesy Anna Olson

http://annaolson.ca/

Vanilla Cranberry Compote

2 cups fresh or frozen cranberries

1/2 cup water

1 vanilla bean or 1 Tbsp vanilla bean paste.

1 tsp finely grated orange zest

2/3 cup sugar

1)  Bring the cranberries, water, scraped seeds from the vanilla bean (or bean paste, if using), and orange zest up to a simmer over medium heat.  Simmer the cranberries for 5 minutes, then add the sugar and simmer for 10 minutes more, stirring occasionally.  Remove the compote from the heat, cool to room temperature, then chill until ready to serve.

The compote will keep, refrigerated, for up to 2 weeks.

Makes 2 cups.

Courtesy Anna Olson

http://annaolson.ca/