Chocolate Macadamia Cake

An elegant, genoise-like flourless cake with macadamia nuts.

Recipe Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups unsalted butter
1 1/2 pounds bittersweet chocolate
1 cup macadamia nuts, pistachio nuts or walnuts, toasted
8 large eggs, at room temperature
Sweetened whipped cream for accompaniment

Cooking Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 400°F (205°C). Butter a 9 1/2-inch springform cake pan and line the bottom with a round of parchment paper.
2. Cut the butter into small pieces and chop the chocolate into small pieces. In a large bowl set over hot water, melt the chocolate and butter together.
3. Coarsely chop the macadamia nuts.
4. With an electric mixer, beat the eggs until a ribbon forms when you lift the beater.
5. Fold the eggs into the melted butter and chocolate and then rapidly fold in the nuts.
6. Transfer the batter to the lined springform pan and bake in the preheated oven for 45 minutes. If the cake appears to be getting too dark on top, drape pieces of aluminum foil over it and continue baking until the cake begins to feel firm in the center.
7. When the cake is cooled, loosen the cake by running a knife around the sides of the pan and remove the sides of the springform pan. Invert the cake onto a serving plate, lift off the bottom of the springform pan and peel away the parchment paper. Turn the cake onto a serving plate. Serve with whipped cream.

Makes 8 servings.