Flourless Chocolate Cake Tartlets with Meringue Topping
A merry April Fools’ to you.
Oh wait, this isn’t a trick. No. These flourless chocolate cake tartlets with meringue topping aren’t my idea of a practical joke. This is serious business right here. These tartlets. They’re seriously good. I ain’t foolin’ around.
And another thing. In precisely one week, at sundown, Passover begins. My point is, these decadent flourless chocolate cake tartlets should very much be up for consideration as being a part of your Passover menu. Actually, no, my point is, mygawddd just make these cakes for dessert already thankyou.
Here’s why you should make these chocolate tartlets for Passover:
These flourless chocolate cakes are indulgent and decadent and fancy and sophisticated and easy and full of rich, deep chocolate flavor from both melted bittersweet chocolate and cocoa powder.
And that rich, deep chocolate cake is set off by a light, sticky, glossy, sweet meringue frosting that gets piled high atop the chocolate cakes before being torched into golden, toasty, marshmallow-like topping perfection.
Deep, rich, intense chocolate cake. Light, fluffy, sweet meringue topping. One contrasty, wonderful bite.
Youknowwhat, aside from Passover, you really should be making these flourless tartlets all year round if you’ve got any sense and/or Celiac disease/being gluten-free is a thing for you.
These chocolate cakes contain the most basic of ingredients. And the results yielded are still truly exquisite.
There ain’t even any leavening agents (baking soda, baking powder) or extra additives (vanilla extract) involved here.
Here’s what’s going down in the cakes: chocolate, cocoa, sugar, oil, eggs, and salt. Das it.
And for the meringue topping: egg whites, sugar, and salt.
So even if you’re really limited with your Passover ingredients, these chocolate cake tartlets are still a safe, and delicious, bet.
Oh. And if you don’t have special tartlet pans for Passover, you can make this recipe in an 8-inch round cake pan instead. So now you really have no excuses.
Wait. One additional excuse I can take off your list: if you’re wary of meringue, you can skip the meringue topping and just garnish the chocolate tartlets with cocoa powder or confectioners sugar instead.
Okay. Now you REALLY gotta try these.
Basic ingredients. Sophisticated and indulgent. Rich and decadent. Flourless and Passover-friendly. Easy and delicious.
Flourless chocolate cake tartlets with meringue topping — I see you, I’ve had you, and now I need you forever.
Flourless Chocolate Cake Tartlets with Meringue Topping
Yield: 8 tartlets/8” round cake
6 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped
2/3 cup granulated sugar
½ teaspoon salt
1/3 cup oil
3 large eggs
½ cup cocoa powder
Meringue Topping:
3 large egg whites
¾ cup sugar
Pinch of salt
1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Brush 8 small tartlet pans with removable bottoms with oil (or line and grease an 8” round baking pan).
2. Melt the chocolate over a double boiler or in short intervals in the microwave, stirring between each interval. Set aside.
3. In a large bowl, whisk together the sugar, salt, oil, and eggs until smooth.
4. Pour the melted chocolate into the sugar mixture and whisk until smooth. Gently stir in the cocoa powder until the mixture is smooth again.
5. Using a large ice cream scoop, drop the batter evenly into the prepared tartlet pans. Smooth the tops.
6. Bake tartlets for 14-18 minutes, until the cakes spring back when touched and a toothpick inserted into the center of one has a few crumbs or is just clean. Allow cakes to cool before removing them from their pans and topping with the meringue. (If you’d like to skip the meringue, you can garnish the cakes with cocoa powder or powdered sugar instead.)
7. Meringue topping: Pour the egg whites, sugar, and salt into the bowl of an electric stand mixer (or any heat-safe bowl) and place the bowl over a pot of simmering water, creating a double boiler. Whisk the mixture constantly for a few minutes until the sugar is dissolved and the mixture is warm to the touch (110 F).
8. Transfer the bowl to your machine fitted with a whisk attachment. Whip the mixture for 6-8 minutes, starting on a low speed and gradually increasing to the highest speed, until stiff, glossy peaks forms.
9. Using a knife or small spatula, spread the meringue over the cooled cakes, piling it high and creating peaks. Use a kitchen torch to brown the meringue. Alternatively, broil the cakes for about two minutes, until the meringue is browned.
