This easy flourless chocolate torte is not only gluten free and low carb, but it’s also made deliciously healthy with elderberry-infused cream and farm-fresh eggs. This is the best herbal plated dessert recipe you’ll ever find and my go-to for our family Valentine’s Day celebration! 
Recipe Source for Elderberry Chocolate Torte
I did NOT come up with this recipe in its entirety and I must give credit where credit is due. Devon Young has written yet another must-have herbal book that has inspired me to create in the kitchen. You can read about her first book, The Backyard Herbal Apothecary, which we featured in the following article:
—->>>Read Herbal Education for Kids<<<—-
Her current release is entitled The Herbalist’s Healing Kitchen. When the book came in the mail for review, the first recipe the kids focused in on was one for a Flourless Hawthorn Berry and Chocolate Torte. Devon’s highly researched and expertly written book compels the reader to make such delectable recipes when she does things like extol the virtues of chocolate. For her hawthorn chocolate torte recipe she writes,
“A 2012 analysis of a 42 randomized, placebo-controlled and double-blind studies found substantial evidence that chocolate helped to reduce heart disease risk factors such as elevated triglycerides and high blood pressure, while also improving cholesterol ratios and decreasing insulin resistance.”
See, chocolate is health food! She concludes her recipe introduction asserting that,
“The berries impart a subtle berry flavor that provides nuance to the bold chocolate flavor. This torte is a perfectly celebratory dessert, and it is surprisingly easy to make.”
Berry Substitution
When you purchase your own copy of The Herbalist’s Healing Kitchen you will notice that this recipe calls for heart-healthy hawthorn berries. So, why have I made my recipe with elderberries?! Uh, for the very culinary reason that I was out of hawthorn berries.
Fortunately, I have elderberries which have a similarly strong berry flavor, though a little wild and distinct. This elderberry substitution passed the kid test – as in, they ate it up like starving pigeons. Whether you use elderberries or hawthorn berries, this chocolate torte will liven up your celebration.
The best part of this elderberry chocolate torte? The flourless, protein-rich ingredients, coupled with the wonderfully healthful properties of elderberries, won’t leave you feeling over-full and ill after eating this chocolate torte.
Low-Carb Elderberry Flourless Chocolate Torte Recipe
The only tricky part about this recipe is using a double boiler, which prevents the chocolate from burning as you melt it. If you’d like to make your own double boiler, you can do that by following these steps:
- Partially fill a medium sized saucepan with water.
- Take another, smaller saucepan and place it inside the first, on top of the water.
- Put your item to melt inside the smaller saucepan and turn on burner to heat water.
To better help you make a delicious elderberry chocolate torte, I suggest you watch the following video to learn the basic process. Then, read the recipe thoroughly. If you need any help, please don’t hesitate to leave a comment and I’ll get back to you.
Low Carb Elderberry Chocolate Torte
Ingredients
- 1/2 Cup Butter
- 1 Cup Elderberries dried
- 2/3 Cup Heavy cream
- 2/3 Cup Low carb sugar like erythritol
- Pinch Sea salt
- 8 Eggs
- 12 oz. Baking chocolate Get the best quality dark chocolate you can.
- Unsweetened cocoa for dusting
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350F/175C.
- Butter the sides of a 9-inch springform pan. Line the base with parchment paper. Do NOT skip this step or your chocolate torte will stick and be difficult to plate.
- In a small saucepan, mix the berries, butter and cream. Bring the mixture to a simmer over low/medium heat. Simmer softly for about 15 minutes, or until the mixture smells slightly of berries. Stir constantly to avoid scorching.
- Remove the pan from the heat and strain the berries from the cream mixture. Save the elderberries for our Elderberry Granola Bars linked in the article. Or, compost the berries.
- Use the whisk attachment of your mixer to beat the sugar, salt and eggs on high speed. Mix until it becomes very thick and pale. The mixture will be thick and ribbon-y (as Devon describes it). This takes around 5 minutes.
- Use the double boiler over low heat to combine the cream mixture and the chocolate. Stir as the mixture melts until it has completely done so - it will look glossy. Remove from the heat once melted.
- Add a bit of the chocolate mixture to the egg mixture to temper the eggs and prevent them from "scrambling" in your torte. Fold the rest of the chocolate mixture
into the egg mixture in 1/3 increments. Do NOT over-mix but continue to fold until evenly combined. - Pour the mixture into the springform pan and bake for 35-40 minutes. Bake until the gloss disappears from the torte top and only the center jiggles slightly when gently moved. It will set up once cooled. Do NOT overbake.
- To plate the chocolate torte, allow to cool for at least 30 minutes. Run a knife gently around the inside of the pan walls. Remove the outer ring with caution. If your torte is completely cool and you're confident it's solid, you may run a knife underneath the torte and remove it from the pan bottom. OR, you may leave it on the pan bottom and put it on your favorite cake stand.
- Dust with cocoa before serving. You may also whip cream and place a dollop on individual pieces of torte, dusting with cocoa afterwards.
Notes
Other Recipes with Elderberries
Elderberry Recipes
Elderberry No Bake Granola Bars
Fermented Elderberry Honey
Fermented Elderberry and Honey Soda
A Recipe for Elderberry Ice Cream with Creme Fraiche
To learn to use hawthorn berries, elderberries or any other medicinal plant, please visit The Herbal Academy for online herbal courses for beginner and intermediate learners. The modules and materials with each course are so well done that anyone can learn to make and use herbal preparations. Right now, this month!
This looks right up my alley!! We love elderberry in this house. I have never thought to combine it with chocolate, but since I love other berries with chocolate, why not! It looks absolutely delicious!!! Thanks for the recipe! Pinning it so I can make it for Valentine’s day!
It would be perfect for Valentine’s Day!
Oh, yum! This looks like such a fun way to use elderberries! I love that this is gluten free also. I’m going to repin this to save for later — thank you so much for sharing your tasty recipe!
I hope you enjoy it – thank you for stopping by!
Wow! What a delicious sounding way to include elderberries in your diet…including all the health benefits attached to them! Thanks for the recipe!
We sneak in the healthy as often as possible with the kids!
Oh wow…this is such a unique way to use elderberries. I’m glad you were inspired to create this torte! Thanks for sharing all of your other elderberry recipes at the end, too. I’ve pinned several. Thank you!!!
They taste a bit like blueberries when paired with the cocoa in this torte – yum!! I hope you enjoy the other recipes, too!
This sounds amazing! I’m trying to add more elderberries to my diet this month since everyone I know is coming down with colds and flu…need to keep my defenses up. Elderberry and chocolate sounds heavenly!
Thanks for the recipe.
Lisa
So glad you liked it and I hope it turns out well for you! Let me know how it turns out, if you think of it.
I found Elderberries very tasty and unique. They are free source of vitamins and antioxidants that anybody can use for their benefit. More Elderberry recipes, please!
That’s what I say, too! 🙂