Gluten-Free Goodness: Chocolate Truffle Cake

For today's edition I was going to do another cheesecake but I decided to change things up a little bit and do a cake: Chocolate Truffle Cake.

This cake is gluten-free cake I made for my dad for his birthday last month. He doesn't have a problem with gluten but, my brother Nick's girlfriend, Brandy, does. Since she was going to be at dinner with us that night everything had to be gluten-free.

I thought that finding food that she would be able to eat would be hard but, surprisingly, it isn't. After a little research online, I was able to put together a whole gluten-free menu for the five us. This the cake I made; I'll share the main course on another day.

CHOCOLATE TRUFFLE CAKE:

1 cup whipping cream
2 1/2 cups semisweet or dark chocolate chips
1 stick (8 tablespoons) unsalted butter
2 tablespoons vanilla extract
7 eggs
1 cup light brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line the bottom of a 9-inch springform pan with parchment paper. Wrap foil around the outside of the pan, including bottom. Set aside.

2. In a medium saucepan, gently heat the cream over low heat. When the cream is faily hot, melt the chocolate chips by adding them slowly to the pan as you whisk. Add the butter, in pieces. Whisk until the butter and chocolate are melted. Add the vanilla extract. As soon as the mixture is melted, smooth, and glossy remove it from the heat.

3. Using a wire whisk attachment, beat the eggs, sugar, and salt until the eggs are foamy and doubled in volume, roughly 3-4 minutes.

4. Slowly add the cooling chocolate mixture to the eggs, and beat gently until combined.

5. Pour the batter into the prepared cake pan.

6. Bake in the center of preheated oven for 1 hour, until the cake is set and cracked. It will appear a bit loose in the center, underneath.

7. Place the cake pan on a wire rack to cool. When the cake is close to room temperature, lightly cover and chill cake overnight.

8. Before serving, genlty loosen the cake from the sides of the pan. Release the springform clasp and remove the ring. Dust cake with cocoa powder.