So, baking is (of course) turning out possible, if sort of a pain in the butt here.

Totally brought that converter just for the mixer. Worth it.

My first recipe from Greece may not be super Greek, but it is super chocolatey, so… I’m sure most of you will settle. It also happens to be gluten-free, without using any stupid gf ingredients, which is grand since it turns out my new roommate has to eat gf. I’d hate to make her just stand and watch the first time I had people over for cake!

Ingredients:

For the cake:

• 10 ounces dark chocolate (60-70%), coarsely chopped
• 10 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 7 large eggs, separated
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon salt

For the ganache:

• 9 ounces dark chocolate (60-70%), coarsely chopped
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 1/4 cup light corn syrup
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract

Almost bought the wrong dairy, but then I saw one with whipped cream on it. Saved!

If I haven’t mentioned it before, let me mention it now – eggs separate easier while chilled, but beat to stiff peaks easier at room temperature. If you have the time, separate your eggs, then let them sit (covered) at room temperature for a bit before starting the recipe. Eggs here are unrefrigerated in the store, which…I don’t know how to feel about. Nervous? I think it makes them harder to separate, but that may just be me being extra bad at it this week?

Grease a 9” springform pan well, line the bottom with parchment, and grease the parchment as well. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.

Melt the chocolate until smooth. We don’t have a microwave, so it was stove for me. Set aside to cool some.

Beat together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Luckily I was able to math out, based on how many tablespoons are in a box, and that a box of butter at home is a pound, how much that butter should weigh, and measured it out that way, since butter here just comes in big blocks.

Yeah that’s basically a plastic pail.

Beat the egg yolks into the butter mixture one at a time at low speed, scraping down the bowl between each.

Beat in the chocolate, followed by the vanilla.

In a large bowl, beat the egg whites and salt to stiff peaks.

Gently fold about a cup of the egg whites into the chocolate mixture, followed by the rest of the egg whites, folding until just combined. Transfer to the greased pan and spread evenly.

Bake 30-35 minutes, until the top is set. I believe my pan is bigger than 9”, and it’s hard to be precise with temperatures with our oven, so mine was ready after closer to 25.

Let the cake cool completely in the pan, then use a thin knife to loosen it from the edges of the pan. Remove the wall of the pan, then invert onto a plate to remove the parchment from the bottom. Re-invert onto a plate or dish. I don’t have parchment, so didn’t bother flipping it out at all at this point.

Place the chocolate of the ganache in a large heatproof bowl and set aside.

Combine the cream and corn syrup in a saucepan and bring to a boil over medium heat.

Pour the cream mixture over the chocolate and let sit for 2 minutes before stirring together. Whisk for 2-3 minutes to cool slightly, then stir in the vanilla.

Our only bowls are those thin plastic ones, so I just used another saucepan. Safer that way.

Pour about 3/4 of a cup of the ganache over the cake and spread evenly over the top.

Freeze for five minutes to set.

This freezer is going to be a problem when our other roommate gets here.

Place the cake on a wire rack, over some parchment or foil, and pour the remaining ganache over the top. Let it run over the edges, smoothing if desired.

Don’t have a wire rack, do have…a random tart pan bigger than the springform? Sure!

Chill for 2 hours, then serve and store at room temperature. Room temp here is enough hotter that I kept it in the fridge until shortly before serving.

I did take a picture of everyone eating it, but it was one of my standard ‘people will hate you if you post this photos’ sort of terrible photo, and since these are all new friends…maybe we’ll leave it for now.

Sabrina brought ice cream, and I beat what regular cream we had left into whipped cream.

Flourless Chocolate Cake with Chocolate Ganache

From Bake or Break.

For the cake:

• 10 ounces dark chocolate (60-70%), coarsely chopped
• 10 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 7 large eggs, separated
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon salt

For the ganache:

• 9 ounces dark chocolate (60-70%), coarsely chopped
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 1/4 cup light corn syrup
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract

Grease a 9” springform pan well, line the bottom with parchment, and grease the parchment as well. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.

Melt the chocolate until smooth, then set aside to cool some.

Beat together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat the egg yolks into the butter mixture one at a time at low speed, scraping down the bowl between each. Beat in the chocolate, followed by the vanilla.

In a large bowl, beat the egg whites and salt to stiff peaks. Gently fold about a cup of the egg whites into the chocolate mixture, followed by the rest of the egg whites, folding until just combined. Transfer to the greased pan and spread evenly.

Bake 30-35 minutes, until the top is set. Let the cake cool completely in the pan, then use a thin knife to loosen it from the edges of the pan. Remove the wall of the pan, then invert onto a plate to remove the parchment from the bottom. Re-invert onto a plate or dish.

Place the chocolate of the ganache in a large heatproof bowl and set aside. Combine the cream and corn syrup in a saucepan and bring to a boil over medium heat. Pour the cream mixture over the chocolate and let sit for 2 minutes before stirring together. Whisk for 2-3 minutes to cool slightly, then stir in the vanilla.

Pour about 3/4 of a cup of the ganache over the cake and spread evenly over the top. Freeze for five minutes to set. Place the cake on a wire rack, over some parchment or foil, and pour the remaining ganache over the top. Let it run over the edges, smoothing if desired.

Chill for 2 hours, then serve and store at room temperature. Room temp here is enough hotter than I kept it in the fridge until shortly before serving.