Pastel de Almendra y Chocolate (Flourless Chocolate Almond Cake)
This recipe is adapted from Pati Jinich’s Treasures of the Mexican Table. Jinich’s inspiration for the cake, as she wrote in her headnote, was one she loved at Da Ciro, an Italian restaurant in Mexico’s Valle de Bravo, about two hours west of Mexico City. The cake’s style — dense, nutty, moist, chocolatey and gluten-free — is one that spans a number of cultures. Taste it, and you could be in Italy, France, Spain, Portugal, the U.S., England, Australia or Argentina. But in the kitchen, the inclusion of a can of sweetened condensed milk makes it feel Mexican. It’s so easy and so good that we’ll be sure to keep two bars of 70% cacao chocolate, a bag of almond flour and a can of organic sweetened condensed milk always on hand in case of a sudden chocolate cake craving.
Note: Jinich’s version included slightly more than a can of the sweetened condensed milk; it bothered us to open a second can for just 1/4 cup, so we tested the recipe a second time without it — and without adding 1/4 cup of boiling water that seemed perhaps superfluous to us while adding steps. It worked fine with our tweaks, producing a cake with a wee bit more loft and lightness. Finally, we loved Jinich’s idea of blitzing all the ingredients in a blender or food processor, but the batter overflowed both of ours. Probably it would work in a Vitamix or other blender with a very large jar. We poured the batter into a large bowl and used a stick blender, which worked fine on one testing; for another testing we used a hand mixer, which seemed more practical. Using the hand mixer turned out to be easiest.
Note: Jan. 16, 2024 — Due to ongoing safety issues around lead and cadmium contamination of dark chocolate, we now recommend combining two types of Ghirardelli Chocolate premium baking bars for this recipe. In place of the 6 ounces of bittersweet chocolate (brand unspecified) Jinich’s original recipe called for, use 4.5 ounces (126 grams) Ghirardelli 60% cacao premium baking bar and 1.5 ounces (42 grams) Ghirardelli 100% cacao premium baking bar. That will give you chocolate that’s 70 % cacao.
Serves 8 to 10.
Ingredients
1/2 pound (2 sticks) unsalted butter, cut into pieces
4.5 ounces Ghirardelli Chocolate 60% cacao baking bars, cut into small pieces
1.5 ounces Ghirardelli Chocolate 100% cacao baking bars, cut into small pieces
4 large eggs
1 (14-ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
1 1/2 cups almond flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
Confectioner’s sugar for dusting (optional)
Instructions
1. Heat the oven to 350 degrees F., with a rack in the center of the oven. Use about 1/2 tablespoon of the butter to lightly butter a 9-inch springform pan or a 9-X-2-inch round cake pan, and line the bottom with a circle of parchment.
2. Put the butter and chocolate in a heatproof medium bowl, and set the bowl over a saucepan of simmering water (the bottom of the bowl should not touch the water), and heat over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the butter and chocolate are completely melted. Remove from the heat.
3. Crack the eggs into a large mixing bowl, add the condensed milk and mix with a hand mixer (or using a stand mixer) until well combined. Add the melted butter and chocolate and mix until well combined. Add the almond flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt, and mix until smooth.
4. Pour the batter into the prepared cake pan, using a flexible spatula to scrape out every bit. Bake for 40 to 50 minutes, or until the top of the cake is springy to the touch and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out moist but not wet. Remove from the oven, place the pan on a rack and let the cake cool to room temperature; it will deflate as it cools.
5. Once the cake has cooled, if you are using a springform pan, release the spring and remove the sides; if you are using a cake pan, run a thin knife around the edge, invert it onto a plate or board, then invert it again onto a cake plate or platter (so the slightly puffed side is up). Dust with confectioner’s sugar, if desired.
Pastel de Almendra y Chocolate (Flourless Chocolate Almond Cake)
Ingredients
- 1/2 pound (2 sticks) unsalted butter, cut into pieces
- 4.5 ounces Ghirardelli Chocolate 60% cacao baking bars, cut into small pieces
- 1.5 ounces Ghirardelli Chocolate 100% cacao baking bars, cut into small pieces
- 4 large eggs
- 1 (14-ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
- 1 1/2 cups almond flour
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- Confectioner’s sugar for dusting (optional)
Instructions
- Heat the oven to 350 degrees F., with a rack in the center of the oven. Use about 1/2 tablespoon of the butter to lightly butter a 9-inch springform pan or a 9-X-2-inch round cake pan, and line the bottom with a circle of parchment.
- Put the butter and chocolate in a heatproof medium bowl, and set the bowl over a saucepan of simmering water (the bottom of the bowl should not touch the water), and heat over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the butter and chocolate are completely melted. Remove from the heat.
- Crack the eggs into a large mixing bowl, add the condensed milk and mix with a hand mixer (or using a stand mixer) until well combined. Add the melted butter and chocolate and mix until well combined. Add the almond flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt, and mix until smooth.
- Pour the batter into the prepared cake pan, using a flexible spatula to scrape out every bit. Bake for 40 to 50 minutes, or until the top of the cake is springy to the touch and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out moist but not wet. Remove from the oven, place the pan on a rack and let the cake cool to room temperature; it will deflate as it cools.
- Once the cake has cooled, if you are using a springform pan, release the spring and remove the sides; if you are using a cake pan, run a thin knife around the edge, invert it onto a plate or board, then invert it again onto a cake plate or platter (so the slightly puffed side is up). Dust with confectioner’s sugar, if desired.
