Flourless Chocolate Cake

Posted Mar 03, 2010

A traditional chocolate cake contains whopping amounts of saturated fat, sugar and refined white flour. An average serve can set you back about 40 - 50g of fat. My version slashes the fat and is full of heart healthy goodness that tastes divine!

Almonds are packed full of protein and good monounsaturated fats that can help lower cholesterol. They are also a great source of Vitamin E that research suggests can slow premature cellular ageing. Cocoa powder contains almost no fat. It also contains compounds that act as stimulants believed to boost serotonin and endorphin levels in the brain. The stimulants theobromine and caffeine can increase alertness and give you a pleasurable sensation similar to the high people get after exercise.

Ingredients:

2 whole oranges
1 cup pure organic maple syrup
6 organic eggs
Pinch of sea salt
4 cups ground almonds
1 cup good quality dark cocoa powder
1 teaspoon cinnamon

1. Steam the oranges for about 30 - 40 minutes until soft
2. Allow to cool then chop them up and place into a food processor
3. Process until smooth along with the maple syrup and salt, then add the eggs and process again
4. Pour the mix into a bowl and fold in the almonds, cocoa and cinnamon
5. Spoon into a baking tin lined with greaseproof paper and bake for about 50 - 60 minutes in a moderate 175c oven until cooked through
6. Test with a skewer to check. The cake should be lovely and moist
7. Remove from the oven and cool completely then remove from the tin
8. Store for 1 week covered in the fridge.