Ultimate flourless chocolate Torte

Ingredients

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• 9ounces good-quality dark chocolate - 65% or higher, finely chopped
• 9ounces unsalted butter - (Kenzie recommends European-style, such as Kerrygold) (18 tablespoons)
• 1 1/2cups granulated sugar
• 7large eggs - at room temperature
• 1teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1/4teaspoon pure almond extract
• If you are feeling dangerous: a few tablespoons rum- bourbon, or whiskey (Kenzie puts in "a splash")
• Optional- for serving: powdered sugar, berries, and/or sweetened whipped cream

Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Grease and line a 9-inch springform pan with parchment paper. Grease again.
• Melt the chocolate and butter together in a double boiler or in a microwave-safe bowl, until the chocolate is almost completely melted. Remove from heat and stir until smooth and totally melted. Stir in the sugar, then let cool for a few minutes.
• Add the eggs, one at a time, fully combining between each addition. After all the eggs are added, continue to stir until the batter becomes thick, glossy, and utterly gorgeous. Stir in the vanilla extract, almond extract, and any optional boozy addition you desire.
• Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Bake 30-35 minutes, until the torte jiggles slightly in the middle but is not completely set. Begin checking at the 30-minute mark to ensure the torte does not overbake. Let cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then unmold. Dust with powdered sugar. Cut into wedges and serve alone or with whipped cream, berries, or anything else your heart desires.

Notes

• Make ahead: This recipe can be made in advance, cooled completely, and stored in the refrigerator, tightly wrapped, for up to 3 days. To store longer, let cool completely, press a sheet of plastic on top of the torte, and place in an airtight container. Freeze for up to 3 months. Let thaw overnight in the refrigerator. Dust with powdered sugar right before serving.
• This recipe is an adaptation of Kenzie's Flourless Chocolate Torte. Her original recipe called for a slightly smaller cake in a regular 8-inch round pan that you bake, flip out upside down onto a plate, then turn back over to be right side up. I thought an easier way to achieve the same end would be to use a springform pan. Since springforms are usually sold in a 9-inch size, I scaled the recipe up a little to accommodate the larger pan size. A little extra chocolate torte is never a bad thing, right?