Sugar-Free Flourless Chocolate Cake with Chocolate Ganache

Here is another yummy one that everyone will enjoy including those on a low-carb diet or diabetics trying to watch their sugar intake.





Equipment:
9 inch springform pan

Cake:
12 oz sugar-free chocolate chips
1 ½ sticks (3/4 cup) unsalted butter, cut into pieces
6 large eggs, separated
12 Tbs sugar substitute (such as Ideal® No Calorie Sweetener or Splenda®)
2 tsp vanilla extract


Topping:
1 c sugar-free whipping cream
9 oz sugar-free dark chocolate

2 Tbs Creme de Cacao

4 Tbs sugar-free raspberry preserves

Chocolate shavings 


Butter a 9" spring form pan.

In a double boiler, mix chocolate and butter over medium heat stirring often until melted and smooth.  Remove from heat and cool to lukewarm about 15-20 minutes.

Preheat oven to 350°F.

In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat egg yolks and 6 Tbs sugar substitute until thick and pale yellow or about 3 minutes.

Fold lukewarm chocolate mixture into yolk mixture, and then fold in vanilla extract.

In a separate bowl, using clean, dry beaters, beat egg whites until soft peaks form.  Gradually add remaining 6 Tbs sugar substitute, beating until stiff peaks form.

Fold egg whites into chocolate mixture in three additions, then pour batter into prepared pan.

Bake cake until top is puffed and cracking and tester inserted into center comes out with some moist crumbs attached, or about 50 minutes. Cool cake in pan on rack (cake will fall).

When cool, gently press down cracked top to make an even cake. If necessary use a small knife to cut around pan sides to loosen cake and remove pan sides.  Invert cake onto a 9" tart pan bottom or similar sized plate.

Brush the top of the cake with creme de cacao.  Allow to soak in a bit, then spread raspberry preserves over the top of the cake.

Bring whipping cream to a boil and remove from heat just when it is about to boil over.  Add dark chocolate and whisk until melted and smooth.

Place cake on rack over baking sheet.  Spread ½ cup of ganache over top and sides of cake.  Place into freezer until almost set, or about 4 minutes.  Pour remaining ganache over cake and smooth top and sides. Place cake on platter, chill until firm.

Garnish with freshly whipped cream and chocolate shavings and serve at room temperature.

Sugar-Free Peanut Butter Chocolate Cheesecake

Making delicious food that my diabetic partner can eat is one of my passions.  I like to find and rework recipes to make them sugar-free or nearly so.  The first version of this recipe appeared in my cookbook Delicious.  This is a slight reworking to make it even more sugar-free.

Equipment:
9 inch springform pan

Crust:
7 oz. Sugar-Free Vanilla Wafers (I like these)
1/2 cup salted peanuts
1/2 stick butter, melted

Filling:
2 (8 oz.) packages of lowfat or neufchatel cheese
3 whole eggs
3 egg yolks
1 cup Ideal No Calorie Sweetener
1/2 cup sour cream
1 cup of creamy peanut butter (I like lower sugar Simply Jif)

Topping:
1 cup of sour cream
1 cup of sugar-free chocolate chips (I like these)
2 tablespoons of Ideal Brown Sugar

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

In a food processor, combine vanilla wafers and peanuts.  Process until finely ground.  Add butter and process until the consistency of wet sand.  Press the mixture into the bottom and sides of the springform pan and put into the refrigerator while you make the filling.

Add all of the filling ingredients into the food processor and pulse until it becomes a smooth mixture.  Pour mixture into the crust and bake for 45 minutes to one hour.  The top should be dry and just set.

Take cheesecake out of oven and set aside while you make the topping.  In a small sauce pan, warm the sour cream, chocolate chips and Ideal brown sugar over low heat.  Gently whisk all ingredients as they melt.  Once melted and combined, gently spread mixture over cheesecake and return to the oven for 10 minutes.  Remove from the oven and allow to cool.  Serve chilled.

How does this thing work?

Testing.

Testing.  Is this thing on?

Have a yummy cheesecake in the oven.  If I can figure out how this thing works I might share the recipe with you.