Chocolate Almond Torte with Strawberry Sauce

No flour in this torte. Ground almonds and unsweetened chocolate processed together replace flour entirely, giving the cake a dense, fudgy texture with a deep nutty undertone. The whipped egg whites folded into the batter are the only leavening, creating a rich but surprisingly light crumb.

The separated-egg technique is everything here. Yolks get creamed with sugar and margarine for richness, then the ground almond-chocolate mixture gets stirred in. Stiff egg whites go in last, one-third at a time. The first addition loosens the thick batter; the remaining two-thirds get folded gently to preserve as much air as possible. That trapped air is what gives the torte its rise in a batter with no flour and no baking powder.

Baking low at 300°F (150°C) for a full hour and a half lets the torte set slowly without cracking or drying out. The top should spring back when touched.

The strawberry sauce is pure simplicity: frozen berries pureed with sugar and simmered briefly. Pool it on the plate and set a slice of torte on top. The tart, fruity sauce against the intensely chocolatey, nutty torte is a classic combination.

Chef Tips

• Process the almonds and chocolate until very fine. Coarse pieces make the torte crumbly instead of smooth
• Fold the egg whites gently with a large spatula. Aggressive stirring deflates them and the torte won’t rise
• Line the springform pan with wax paper. This torte sticks aggressively without it
• Cool 10 minutes in the pan before releasing. It’s fragile when hot

Variations

• Use hazelnuts instead of almonds for a Nutella-inspired flavor
• Swap the strawberry sauce for raspberry sauce for a deeper, more tart contrast
• Dust the top with powdered sugar and skip the sauce for a simpler presentation