Flourless Chocolate Cake

I have been making this flourless chocolate cake for years.  Over the years, I have changed the recipe to make it somewhat healthier.  There is still sugar in the chocolate chips, but I consider this cake an occasional treat.  It is still my favourite chocolate cake recipe and perfect for Valentine's Day!

Ingredients

6 tbsp butter or earth balance margarine 

1 1/2 cups Enjoy Life chocolate chips (free of milk, peanuts, tree nuts, soy and gluten)

6 large eggs, separated

1/2 cup coconut sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions

1.  Preheat oven to 275 degrees F.  

2.  Lightly butter a large springform pan and set aside.

3.  Heat about an inch of water to a simmer in a saucepan.  Melt the butter or margarine in a heatproof bowl over the saucepan.  Add the chocolate chips and stir until melted.  Add the coconut sugar and vanilla.  Remove the bowl from the saucepan and let the mixture cool slightly.

4.  Whisk the egg yolks in a small bowl.  Whisk a small amount of the chocolate mixture into the egg yolks to temper them.  Then whisk all of the egg yolks into the chocolate mixture.  

5.  In another bowl, beat the egg whites until stiff and glossy.  Fold half of the beaten egg whites into the chocolate mixture.  Take the mixture and using a spatula, gently fold in the remaining egg whites.

6.  Spoon the batter gently into the springform pan.  Bake for 45-50 minutes.  Immediately go around the edge with a knife to loosen the cake from the pan, and remove the collar of the pan.  Let the cake cool.  

*Serve with berries and/or berry sauce and whipped cream or whipped coconut cream.  I made a whipped chocolate coconut cream by whipping the thick cream from a can of coconut milk (refrigerate the can overnight first) with 2 tablespoons maple syrup, 1 teaspoon vanilla and 1 tablespoon cocoa or cacao powder.