I am an admitted chocoholic. I love dark chocolate the best, but any good quality chocolate will usually do. Just an ounce or two is perfect most of the time. But on special occasions a bit more chocolate is desirable. Especially, when I’ll be sharing it with others!

It is no surprise that my go-to desserts for every Valentine’s Day are chocolate ones. Whether is is candy (Tiramisu Truffles), pudding (Dark Chocolate Pudding), or cake (Truffle Cake, Molten Lava Cake), I have tried-and-true chocolate recipes that satisfy my chocolate desires. But I continue to collect chocolate recipes. And if I am going to collect them, I am also going to try them! And pass them along here when I find ones that are rich & decadent & absolutely delicious. This Chocolate Almond Cake is all of these things!

Chocolate Almond Cake (adapted from razzledazzlerecipes.com) Serves 8 to 10

Ingredients:

• 9 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped
• 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons confectioners’ sugar
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) plus 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1/2 cup ground almonds
• 5 eggs, separated
• cocoa powdered for flouring the pan
• confectioners’ sugar for dusting
• raspberries or strawberries for garnish

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Generously butter a 10-inch springform pan then dust the pan with cocoa powder.

Add the chocolate and butter to a large microwave-safe glass bowl. Melt them in 30 second intervals at half power, stirring in between each increment, until the butter and chocolate melt. Stir the mixture until it is smooth.

Add the sugar to the bowl and stir the mixture until it is smooth.

Add in the ground almonds.

Stir in the egg yolks, one at a time. Stir it all together until the batter is well combined.

In a large bowl, beat the egg whites until stiff, glossy peaks form.

Stir 2 to 3 spoonfuls of the egg whites into the chocolate mixture to lighten it, then gently fold in the rest until it is all well blended.

Turn the batter into the prepared pan and bake the cake for 35 to 40 minutes, or until the top is firm. The cake will rise, form a crust, then fall again. Remove the cake from the oven and let it cool completely on a wire rack.

Run a knife around the inside edges of the pan, then remove the metal ring.

To serve, dust the cake with confectioners’ sugar and garnish it with chocolate shavings and fresh fruit, if desired.

This satisfies my chocolate cravings!  ~Linda

Chocolate Almond Cake (adapted from razzledazzlerecipes.com) Serves 8 to 10

Ingredients:

• 9 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped
• 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons confectioners’ sugar
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) plus 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1/2 cup ground almonds
• 5 eggs, separated
• cocoa powdered for flouring the pan
• confectioners’ sugar for dusting
• raspberries or strawberries for garnish

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Generously butter a 10-inch springform pan then dust the pan with cocoa powder.

Add the chocolate and butter to a large microwave-safe glass bowl. Melt them in 30 second intervals at half power, stirring in between each increment, until the butter and chocolate melt. Stir the mixture until it is smooth. Add the sugar to the bowl and stir the mixture until it is smooth. Add in the ground almonds. Stir in the egg yolks, one at a time. Stir it all together until the batter is well combined.

In a large bowl, beat the egg whites until stiff, glossy peaks form. Stir 2 to 3 spoonfuls of the egg whites into the chocolate mixture to lighten it, then gently fold in the rest until it is all well blended. Turn the batter into the prepared pan and bake the cake for 35 to 40 minutes, or until the top is firm. The cake will rise, form a crust, then fall again. Remove the cake from the oven and let it cool completely on a wire rack. Run a knife around the inside edges of the pan, then remove the metal ring.

To serve, dust the cake with confectioners’ sugar and garnish it with chocolate shavings and fresh fruit, if desired.