SOFT CHOCOLATE AND ALMOND CAKE using only egg whites: light, tall, and never dry
Problem No. 1: What to do with leftover egg whites without ending up with a gummy dessert or a dry cake? SOLVED!
Often, cakes made with only egg whites tend to be gummy, sticky, or too dry after baking. The secret lies in the balance between the structure provided by the meringue and the fats/moistening agents.
This recipe is perfect for recycling both leftover egg whites and milk chocolate from the holidays!
The Solution (Secrets of Softness and Moisture):
Meringue Whipped Egg Whites: Whipping the egg whites to stiff peaks with sugar is crucial to incorporate air, ensuring the cake becomes extremely tall and light.
Powder Mixing Technique: Grinding chocolate and almonds together with flour and sugar ensures the dry ingredients are very fine and perfectly homogeneous.
Melted Butter (Not Hot): Adding warm melted butter at the end ensures the necessary moisture, balancing the dry structure given by the egg whites and powders.
The Chocolate and Almond Cake with Egg Whites Only is an elegant and delicious solution for using up leftover egg whites. The result is an incomparably soft dessert, extremely light, with an intense flavor of toasted almonds and chocolate. A true comfort food that melts in your mouth!
- Difficulty: Very Easy
- Cost: Very Economical
- Portions: 8
- Cooking methods: Oven
- Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients (For 10.2-inch Diameter Pan)
- 3 oz dark chocolate (or milk chocolate)
- 4.25 oz blanched almonds
- 6 egg whites egg whites (about 6)
- 1 cup all-purpose flour (+ as needed for the pan.)
- 1 cup sugar
- cup butter (melted and cooled + as needed for the pan.)
- 1 packet baking powder
- 1 pinch fine salt
Tools
- Kitchen Scale
- Mixer
- Bowl
- Electric Whisk
- Spatula
- Springform Pan
Procedure for SOFT CHOCOLATE AND ALMOND CAKE using only egg whites
Melt the butter and let it cool (it should not be hot).
Grind the chocolate in the mixer to obtain a fine powder.
Grind the almonds and combine with flour in the mixer; blend until you get a fine and uniform powder.
In a large bowl, mix the chocolate powder, almond/flour powders, sugar, and baking powder.Whip the egg whites (at room temperature) with the whisk. Start at low speed, add the pinch of salt, then increase speed and gradually add the sugar until you get a glossy and firm meringue.
Gradually add the powder mixture to the meringue, gently folding with a spatula from bottom to top, without deflating the egg whites.
When the powders are almost incorporated, add the warm melted butter in a continuous stream, continuing to mix gently until you get a smooth and homogeneous mixture.Butter and flour the pan (26 cm or chosen size).
Pour the mixture and level it gently.
Bake in a preheated static oven at 340°F for about 35-40 minutes (for the 26 cm pan). Do the toothpick test.
Remove the cake from the oven, let it cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then unmold it onto a wire rack.
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Use the card below if you decide to make a smaller cake (diameter 18 cm) or a larger cake (diameter 28 cm). Obviously, the baking times will need to be adjusted accordingly. Generally, for a SMALL cake, reduce the baking time by about 5 minutes, and for a LARGE cake, increase it by about 3/5 minutes. The toothpick test is always valid to check the internal baking of the cake.
Notes & Advice, Storage, and Variations
Advice and Notes
Recycling: With this recipe, you can recycle leftover egg whites from preparations like custard or zabaglione, and milk chocolate from Easter eggs. The egg whites and chocolate can be stored in the refrigerator or freezer.
Decoration: Once cooled, dust with powdered sugar if desired.
Egg Whites: Leftover egg whites can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days or frozen for 6 months.
Storage
The cake keeps at room temperature, under a glass dome or in an airtight container, for 3-4 days.
Variations and Alternatives
Without Chocolate: This cake is also excellent without the addition of chocolate. Simply omit the chocolate and add a teaspoon of vanilla extract or flavors of choice.
Nuts: Almonds can be replaced with hazelnuts or pistachios.
FAQs (Questions and Answers)
1. Will the melted butter deflate the egg whites?
Answer: No, if added at the end, warm (not hot), and incorporated with gentle movements. The melted butter is essential for moisture. Adding it in two stages (as per the recipe) helps to better emulsify without deflating the meringue.
2. Can I grind the almonds and chocolate separately?
Answer: It’s advisable to grind the almonds with a small portion of flour (as indicated in Step 1) to prevent them from releasing oil, which would make the mixture heavy. The chocolate should be finely ground to distribute evenly in the light batter.
3. Can I replace baking powder with cream of tartar?
Answer: Yes, cream of tartar (half a teaspoon for this dose) is an excellent stabilizer for whipped egg whites, but for leavening, you need to maintain a leavening agent like baking soda or a reduced amount of baking powder.
