Name: Flourless Chocolate Meringue Cake
Yield: 10 servings
Ingredients: Vegetable oil (for pan); 10 oz. (283 g) semisweet chocolate (64%–70% cacao), coarsely chopped; 6 Tbsp. grapeseed, avocado, or other neutral oil; ¼ cup strong brewed coffee; 1½ tsp. Diamond Crystal or ¾ tsp. Morton kosher salt, plus more; 5 large eggs, separated, room temperature; 2 tsp. vanilla extract; 1 cup (200 g) granulated sugar, divided; ¾ cup (72 g) almond flour or almond meal; A 9"-diameter springform pan

A baked Flourless Chocolate Meringue Cake from Claire Saffitz

Photograph by Isa Zapata, Food Styling by Pearl Jones, Prop Styling by Beth Pakradooni

Meringue is a magical mixture of egg whites and sugar that can be used in many ways, but the first time Claire Saffitz learned it could be baked directly on top of a cake was a couple of years ago when she saw pastry chef Liz Prueitt’s recipe for Sweet Potato Tea Cake With Meringue, which she developed for Tartine Manufactory along with Michelle Lee, who was head of pastry at the time. It struck Claire as an exceptionally smart technique that she wanted to try.

For her, it made sense to employ it in a cake where meringue is already a part of the recipe, like a flourless chocolate cake. One of her favorite moments in baking is the swirl you get when folding meringue into a chocolate batter. Not only does it look beautiful on top of the cake, it bakes into a light and crispy shell that yields to the rich crumb. Incidentally, this cake is dairy- and grain-free, making it Passover-friendly as well.