Chocolate-Ancho Chili Flourless Cake

Recipe courtesy Emeril Lagasse, 2003

Show: Emeril LiveEpisode: The World of Chili Peppers

Rated: 5 stars out of 5Rate itRead users' reviews (20)

RECIPE
COMMENTS & REVIEWS(20)

Cook Time:
50 min
Level:
Intermediate
Yield:
8 to 10 servings

Times:

Prep: 30 min
Inactive Prep: --
Cook: 50 min
Total:: 1 hr 20 min

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Ingredients

2 sticks unsalted butter, plus extra for pan
8 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder, sifted, plus more for dusting
3 tablespoons ancho chili powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
6 large eggs, separated
1 cup sugar
1 cup heavy cream
2 tablespoons confectioners' sugar
Pinch ground cinnamon

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Lightly butter the bottom and sides of a 9-inch springform pan. Line the bottom with parchment paper and butter the paper. Set aside.

In the top of a double boiler, melt the chocolate and butter over medium-low heat. Remove from the heat and whisk in the cocoa, chili powder, and salt.

In a bowl, whisk together the egg yolks with 1/2 cup of the sugar until thick and pale yellow in color. Fold the chocolate mixture into the yolks and mix well.

In another bowl, whisk the egg whites until thick. Whisking, add the remaining 1/2 cup sugar gradually and continue to beat to form a light meringue. In several additions, fold into the chocolate mixture, being careful not to deflate the meringue. Gently pour into the prepared pan and bake until the edges are set but the center is still moist and a few crumbs stick to a tester, about 45 minutes.

Remove from the oven and cool completely in the pan on a wire rack.

Run a thin, sharp knife around the edge of the cake. Remove the pan sides and gently lift away the cake. Invert onto a cake plate, remove the bottom and peel away the parchment.

In a bowl, beat the cream with an electric mixer until frothy. Add the confectioners' sugar and cinnamon and continue to beat until the cream holds soft peaks.

To serve, slice the cake with a portion of the sweetened whipped cream. Garnish with cocoa powder and serve.

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Comments & Reviews

recipe Chocolate-Ancho Chili Flourless Cake
Barbara Orange, CA 09-04-2009
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A Chocoholic Dream
Rated: 5 stars out of 5

I've made this cake twice and it has turned out beautifully both times. My friends are begging me to make it again. The... first time I made it, I used a middle of the road chocolate. This time I splurged and bought expensive bitter sweet chocolate. There is absolutely a difference. Like some of the other reviewers, I think I should have pulled it out of the oven sooner. The cake was just a little dry around the edges. I thinned some red jalapeno jelly with hot water and then squiggled it on a plate. Then, I put the cake on top of that and finished with the whipped topping. Wow! I think I made a mistake, however, because the sugar didn't dissolve into the cream. So, it had a slightly granular texture. At any rate, Emeril didn't let me down. This cake is so good it can top off a great dinner or save a mediocre one.Read more
recipe Chocolate-Ancho Chili Flourless Cake
KATHY portland, OR 05-28-2009
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Watch the bake time
Rated: 4 stars out of 5

I should have known to check the cake 40 minutes into baking but I took it for granted and baked the cake for the entire 45... minutes. It turned out a bit dry. :( The flavor was good though, so I'll try this again but take a couple of peeks at it at 35 and 40 minutes into baking. Also, I couldn't find ancho powder, so like another reviewer, I made my own from ancho pods.Read more
recipe Chocolate-Ancho Chili Flourless Cake
Cathy Rindge, NH 05-03-2009
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Too much air made it crumble
Rated: 3 stars out of 5

The flavor was okay but I added a bit more sugar but my problem came from the egg whites. When it baked the egg whites made... the top high but as it baked the inside of the cake flattened out but the top stayed high. When taken out of the pan the top fell and everything crumbled. Didn't look anything like the picture. Because it was for family and not company I served it anyway. I did try to pretty it up some by creating a chili pepper stencil on top with powdered sugar, which impressed everyone.Read more
recipe Chocolate-Ancho Chili Flourless Cake
Amy Indianapolis, IN 04-26-2009
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Amazing flourless chocolate cake, with Mexican flavors
Rated: 5 stars out of 5

I was a little worried about how this cake would turn out because my egg whites weren't whipping up very well and I didn't... have exactly the right size pan, but it was still amazing. I was worried for no reason - it was so excellent, I would definitely make it again and again. I was surprised by how many people said they loved it - I thought it would be something only a few people would try and/or enjoy. The amount of chili powder is exactly right, not too overpowering, but it adds some subtle heat. I did add 1/4 tsp of cinnamon to the batter like other reviewers. Great recipe!Read more
recipe Chocolate-Ancho Chili Flourless Cake
Gloria Stamford, CT 04-11-2009
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rich and chocolaty with litle kick
Rated: 5 stars out of 5

I made cake this week for a going away lunch for someone at work - two in dept gluten sensitive and one observing Passover.... Perfect. Everyone loved it. Plan to make it again in two weeks for another party (group with no gluten or dietary restrictions). I added cinnamon to batter and served cake with vanilla ice cream. Made it day ahead as recommended, and let stand at room temperture two hours before serving. Didn't have parchment paper so after cooling ran wide spatula under cake to remove it from pan. Looked great after I sprinkled top with confectionary sugar.Read more
recipe Chocolate-Ancho Chili Flourless Cake
Stacie Rochester, NY 04-07-2009
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yum.
Rated: 5 stars out of 5

chili and chocolate. I feel no need to explain myself.