Double Chocolate Flourless Torte from Inn at Sonoma
Just 45 miles from San Francisco’s Golden Gate Bridge, the historic town of Sonoma is a gateway to Sonoma wine country and some of the state’s oldest wineries. With vineyards dating back to the early 1800s, the Sonoma Valley is considered the birthplace of the California wine industry. Alongside its natural beauty and reputation for fine dining, Sonoma’s wine culture has made the region a must-visit for wine enthusiasts, foodies, and outdoor adventurers.
A highlight of the town of Sonoma is its historic, eight-acre town plaza. Lined with restaurants, wine-tasting rooms, shops, and historic attractions such as the 1823 Mission San Francisco Solano, Sonoma Plaza dates back to the mid-1800s. It’s the largest of its kind in California.
Back in 2000, a local Sonoma winemaker approached Four Sisters Inns about collaborating to build a small hotel on a lot he owned just two blocks from the plaza. The hotel group agreed the location was ideal. Four Sisters Inns worked closely with the design team to create a warm, hospitable retreat in sync with Sonoma’s casual wine country lifestyle. The resulting hotel, Inn at Sonoma, remains a favorite among guests visiting Sonoma wine country. The hotel features fireplaces in every room and a rooftop deck with an outdoor hot tub. Many of the rooms also feature private patios, and some offer jetted spa tubs. Every stay includes breakfast for two, a daily wine and cheese reception, and complimentary loaner bicycles.
The inn also serves a homemade sweet treat each afternoon. Occasionally, that sweet treat is a decadent chocolate torte that is downright addictive. When the Four Sisters collection published The Kitchen at Four Sisters Inns – a hard-bound, full-color collection of recipes from its California B&Bs – they were certain to include Inn at Sonoma’s Double Chocolate Flourless Torte.
Wine and chocolate have more in common than one might think. Both heighten the senses and increase dopamine, which may explain why they’ve both been thought of as aphrodisiacs for centuries. Their commonalities may also partially explain why Sonoma County is home to the Windsor Chocolate Block, an emerging group of artisan, small-batch chocolatiers.
Inn at Sonoma’s version of the flourless chocolate torte is a chocoholic’s dream dessert, requiring two whole pounds of chocolate. The dense, fudgy cake is topped with an equally rich ganache. It’s the perfect Valentine’s Day treat, thanks to its super easy, foolproof preparation (it’s even less risky when the torte ingredients are melted in a double boiler instead of on the stovetop). The dessert is also gluten-free.
Double Chocolate Flourless Torte
Courtesy of Inn at Sonoma, A Four Sisters Inn
Makes 12 servings
Ingredients
For the cake:
- 1 pound semisweet chocolate
- ½ pound (2 sticks) unsalted butter
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 cup half & half
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 8 large eggs
For the ganache:
- 1 pound semisweet chocolate
- 1 ½ cups heavy cream
Directions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Grease a 9-inch springform pan.
In a saucepan over low heat or in a double boiler, combine the cake chocolate, butter, sugar, half & half, vanilla, and salt. Stir until melted and remove from heat.
Whisk the eggs and stir into the chocolate mixture. Pour into the prepared pan.
Bake until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean, about 30 minutes. Cool completely.
For the ganache:
Bring the cream just to a boil, then pour over the chocolate. Stir until melted. Pour the ganache over the top of the cooled cake. Chill the cake before serving.
