Having a good flour-less chocolate cake recipe on hand is key. It can be made for any occasion (including Passover) or any person (including those with a gluten intolerance). It can be made at any skill level (read: it is easy) and is essentially a big block of chocolate. So unless your friends and family hate chocolate, you are set. Oh, and distance yourself from those people as quickly as possible. 

But I'm sorry to say that flour-less chocolate cake can be a bit boring. Sometimes it needs fruit or caramel or marshmallow creme (with which I have a slight obsession) to bring out the flavor. So when I happened upon this recipe, I was pretty excited.

This flour-less chocolate cake includes almonds which are only second to coffee when it comes to things that make chocolate taste better. This cake has texture and flavor and will last at room temperature for as many days as it will take you to eat it.

Chocolate Almond Tweed Torte
from The Washington Post

1 cup (5 ounces) whole almonds, with or without skins
7 ounces good-quality unsweetened chocolate, roughly chopped
1 cup (7 ounces) granulated sugar
1/8 tsp kosher salt
1 cup egg whites (~7 to 8 large eggs)
1/4 tsp cream of tartar
 

Make the cake: Position an oven rack in the lower third of the oven; preheat to 350 degrees. Line the bottom of a 9-inch springform pan with parchment paper, then grease the pan with cooking oil spray.

Combine the almonds, chocolate, 1/2 cup of the sugar and the salt in a food processor; pulse until the almonds and chocolate look very finely chopped but not completely pulverized. 

Combine the egg whites and cream of tartar in the clean, dry bowl of a stand mixer; beat on medium speed until soft, moist peaks are formed. Gradually add the remaining 1/2 cup of sugar, continuing to beat until the egg whites are stiff but not dry.

Add one-third of the nut mixture to the egg whites; use a large flexible spatula to fold it in by hand until nearly incorporated. Fold in half of the remaining nuts, then fold in the rest.

Scrape the batter into the pan, spreading it evenly. Bake (lower rack) for 25 to 30 minutes, until the torte rises and is golden brown on top and a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake emerges free of batter, other than a little melted chocolate. Transfer to a wire rack to cool.