fumé’s Valentine’s Day feast of love wouldn’t be complete without something rich, dark, and chocolatey. This flourless chocolate almond meringue confection will delight the senses and also happens to be gluten-free and relatively low in sugar. Pair with fresh berries, whipped cream or vanilla ice cream, and fresh raspberry sauce to further elevate this special dessert.

Equipment

• Large bowl
• Rimmed baking sheet
• Food processor
• 9” Springform pan or two 4” heart-shaped pans
• Parchment paper
• Sieve

Makes

• Serves 8

Ingredients

• 2 CUPS blanched raw almonds (unsalted)
• 4 OUNCES semisweet baking chocolate 
• 1 CUP sugar
• 2 TBSP cocoa (natural, not dutch processed)
• 6 egg whites (use whole eggs, separated unless you can find unpasteurized boxed egg whites. Pasteurized egg whites will not whip into meringues.)
• 1 TSP vanilla extract
• Vanilla ice cream or fresh whipped cream
• Fresh berries or fresh raspberry sauce
• Mint leaf for decoration

Directions

• Preheat the oven to 325°F.
• Blanch almonds by soaking in boiling water for 2-3 minutes. Drain, rinse and remove skins. Spread onto a baking sheet and bake in the oven until they are dry and just starting to brown around the edges. Remove and let cool.
• Place blanched, cooled almonds and chocolate in a food processor and pulse until you have a coarse meal. Pour into a bowl and mix in ½ cup sugar and cocoa powder.
• In a chilled bowl, beat egg whites until stiff and gradually add the remaining ½ cup sugar. Continue to beat until they are meringue consistency, forming stiff and shiny peaks.
• Fold in your chocolate mixture and vanilla carefully using a rubber spatula to gently but fully combine your dry ingredients into your meringue without deflating it. 
• Spoon into a greased 9” springform pan lined with parchment on the bottom and bake for 45 minutes. Alternatively, you can divide into two 4” heart-shaped pans for a special Valentine’s Day treat. You’ll likely be able to halve the cooking time given the smaller sized pans. Check them after 15-20 minutes and if the the meringue is set, remove to ensure a moist consistency. You’ll have one to share à deux or two to share à trois ou quatre. 
• To make the fresh raspberry sauce, place 1 pint of fresh or thawed, frozen raspberries into a sieve set over a mixing bowl. Using the back of a large spoon, press berries against the sides of the sieve to release juice and pulp and remove seeds. 
• Remove cake from pan and let cool before serving with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream, fresh raspberry sauce, and/or fresh berries of your choosing.