RICH Chocolate Orange Flourless Cake
An Original Recipe by Lorraine Elliott
Preparation time: 15 minutes
Cooking time: 1 hour 20 minutes
Serves: 8
For Cake
- 3 oranges or tangelos (around 600g/21ozs)
- 375g/13.ozs. almond meal
- 375g/13ozs. caster or superfine sugar
- 1/2 cup/60g/2ozs. cocoa powder
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 7 eggs, room temperature beaten
- 300g/10.6ozs dark chocolate, melted
For Chocolate Butter Ganache Frosting
- 90ml/3flozs. cream
- 170g/6ozs. dark chocolate chips
- 50g/1.7ozs butter, room temperature, cut into small pieces
Step 1 - Line the base and sides of a 20cm/8inch springform pan and preheat oven to 180C/350F fan forced or 200/400F conventional.
Step 2 -Poke the oranges all over with a sharp knife and place the oranges in a large microwave proof bowl. Add enough water to cover the oranges, cover the bowl with cling film and heat on 100% heat for 20 minutes until the oranges are soft. You can also do this on the stovetop but it takes around 2 hours to do this and you will need to keep topping up the water. Drain the water and cool enough to handle. Remove the peduncle (where the stem connects to the fruit) and chop the flesh and skin roughly and remove seeds if any. You can do this step a day or two ahead of time keeping the oranges in the fridge.
Step 3 -In a food processor add the almond meal, sugar, cocoa powder and baking powder and process to combine. Add the eggs and chopped oranges and blend until smooth. Add the melted chocolate and mix until combined. Scoop into the prepared tin and bake for 1 hour or until the centre springs back when gently pressed.
Thermomix: place the almonds, sugar, cocoa powder and baking powder and set to 10 seconds speed #5. Add the eggs and oranges and set to 30 seconds speed #5. Add the melted chocolate and set to 15 seconds speed #4. Scoop into the prepared tin and bake for 1 hour or until the centre springs back when gently pressed.
Step 4 -To make the frosting place the cream in a large glass jug and microwave for 30-40 seconds or until bubbling. Add the chocolate chips and cover with a plate and let rest for 30 seconds. Then stir the chocolate and add the butter to form a smooth frosting. Allow to cool for 10-15 minutes until still liquid but thicker in texture and then pour over the cake.