Flourless Chocolate Pecan Cake

 Ingredients

1/4 cup unsalted butter plus 

· 1 tablespoon for buttering your baking pan

6 ounces bittersweet chocolate

1 cup pecans

6 large eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 cup sugar

Pinch of kosher or coarse sea salt

Confectioners' sugar (optional)

· use choice of toping for cake, Berries (optional)/whipped cream (optional)

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350°F. 

Time: 40 minutes.

In a 9-inch pan (springform pan), butter and line bottom of it with parchment paper.

1. Use a double boiler. In the bottom half of a double boiler, add water and simmer. You can also use in a medium saucepan if you don’t have a double boiler. Over double boiler, add the chocolate and the 1/4 cup butter until completely melted together. Then, set aside to cool.

2. Using a blender/food processor, chop the pecans finely. Add the eggs, vanilla, sugar, salt, and melted chocolate mixture, blending until smooth. Then, pour the batter into the buttered pan, lined with parchment paper, and bake until a toothpick inserted in center comes out moist but not wet. 

3. Once the cake has cooled, take a knife, and run the tip of the knife around the pan to loosen the cake from the pan. Remove the cake and place on a plate (cake dish). If desired, shake confectioners’ sugar on top of cake, fresh grated coconut and serve with whipped cream and/or berries.