Dairy-free, flourless chocolate cake.

Passover typically falls in March or April and is an eight- day festival commencing on the 15th day of the Hebrew month of Nisan. As the Hebrew calendar is based on lunar cycles, the date of the festival moves from year to year. Traditionally, all chametz (leavening) is removed from the diet, thus all products made from any kind of yeast must be disposed of. Some traditions also exclude eating legumes, rice, corn, soy, millet, beans and peas during Passover.  
This dairy-free, flourless number is the Jewish Passover dessert of choice. Serves 10. 

Ingredients 

• 75g 
(⅔ cup) cocoa powder, sifted
• 165ml 
(⅔ cup) boiling water
• 200g pecans, toasted
• 1tsp 
gluten-free baking powder
• 4 
eggs, at room temperature
• 220g 
(1 cup) raw caster sugar
• 200ml 
light olive oil, plus extra to grease
• 1½tsp natural vanilla essence or extract 

 
Dairy-free ganache:

• 185g 
dairy-free dark chocolate, chopped
• 60g dairy-free spread

1. Preheat oven to 170°C (150°C fan-forced). Grease a 22cm spring-form tin with extra oil and line the base with non-stick baking paper.
2. Place the cocoa in a medium bowl and gradually stir in the boiling water until smooth. Set aside to cool.
3. Process the pecans in a food processor until finely ground. Transfer to a medium bowl and stir through the baking powder until evenly combined.
4. Use an electric mixer with a whisk attachment to whisk the eggs, sugar, oil and vanilla on high speed for about 5 minutes or until thick and pale. Add the cocoa mixture and whisk until just combined. Add the pecan mixture and stir until just combined.
5. Pour the mixture into the prepared tin and bake in preheated oven for 40 minutes or until wet crumbs cling to a skewer inserted into the centre. Cool the cake in the tin sitting on a wire rack.
6. To make the dairy-free ganache, combine the chocolate and dairy-free spread in a medium heatproof bowl over a saucepan of barely simmering water (make sure the water doesn’t touch the bottom of the bowl). Stir occasionally until the chocolate melts and the mixture is smooth. Remove the bowl from the saucepan and set aside for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the ganache thickens to a thick spreadable consistency.
7. Remove the cake from the tin and place on a serving plate. Spoon the ganache over the cake and use the back of a spoon to spread. Set the cake aside for 30 minutes or until the ganache sets. Serve in wedges.

          This cake will keep in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 week.