Decadent Chocolate Almond Torte

This recipe is adapted from the Sunset Magazine Favorite Recipes II cookbook.

Butter an 8-inch round cake pan and lightly dust with the unsweetened cocoa. You can already tell this is gonna be good, right? Preheat oven to 350ºF and set the pan aside.

Dissolve the coffee in the hot water and stir that together with the melted chocolate in a small bowl until very smooth.

In a medium bowl, beat the egg whites with an electric mixer until soft peaks form, and set that aside, too. In a larger bowl, beat the butter and the sugar together until creamy, about 2-3 minutes. Mix in the egg yolks, the grated almond paste, the chocolate-coffee mixture, and finally the flour.

Using a rubber spatula, gently fold in the egg whites, about 1/3 at time, just until blended. Spoon the mixture into the prepared pan.

Bake for 25-30 minutes, until top is lightly browned and nubby. Do not overbake! Let cool in the pan for about 10 minutes then turn out onto your serving plate and allow to cool completely.

To make the glaze, melt the chocolate with the butter, stirring as it melts so the mixture is smooth and silky. If you use a microwave to do this like I do, zap the chocolate by itself at 50% power for a minute at a time, checking and stirring after each minute.

Once it begins to soften, add the butter and zap together for the last minute or so. Stir vigorously to combine at the end. Cool for just a few minutes, then spread the warm glaze over the top and sides of the cooled cake, smoothing as you go.

Allow the glaze to set and harden, either for a few hours at room temperature, or in the fridge for 30-45 minutes. Serve the cake at room temperature, with slightly sweetened whipped cream if you like!