• Place the oven rack in the center position and preheat the oven to 350℉. Cut a piece of parchment large enough to cover the bottom and sides of a 10" springform pan. Fold the parchment on the edges a bit to fit inside your pan. Lightly grease with oil or butter. Set aside. 
• Add the chocolate and the butter in a small saucepan. You can choose to double boil the chocolate and butter (small saucepan over a larger saucepan with an inch of simmering water) or just use a very low, smaller burner for melting the two ingredients. If you do choose to put the pan directly on the burner, however, be sure you don't burn your chocolate. Stir often. Once the butter has almost melted completely, remove the pan from the burner. Let sit while you move to the next step.
• Separate your eggs, egg whites to a large bowl if using a hand mixer or to your Kitchen Aid or stand mixing bowl, and egg yolks to a smaller bowl. Whisk into the egg yolks, the heavy cream, vanilla, cognac, and coffee. Whisk until smooth.
• In a small bowl, combine the ground almonds with the 1 tablespoon of gf flour, and add cinnamon, ancho chili powder, cayenne if you wish, and 2 tablespoons of sugar.
• Whisk the egg yolk mixture into the melted chocolate (okay, I just do this right into the saucepan, for ease). Then add the almond/flour mixture to the saucepan of chocolate mixture. Stir until smooth. 
  
• Beat the egg whites in the mixer bowl, with either the stand mixer or hand mixer. Start on low, to incorporate and stabilize the egg whites. Then increase speed to medium and continue beating until small bubbles are beginning to form. Shake the 1/2 cup of remaining sugar in slowly and the pinch of salt, with the mixer on and continue beating until glossy peaks form.
  
• Using a rubber spatula, fold one third of the egg white gently into the chocolate mixture, then gently fold the chocolate mixture into the egg whites in two steps, folding very gently after each addition. Once chocolate and whipped egg whites are incorporated, you are ready to pour into the prepared springform pan. Note: Be sure not to over fold, as the egg whites will fall and your torte will not be light and airy.  
• Scrape into the springform pan and smooth the top of the torte. Place gently in the oven (middle rack) and bake for 33-40 minutes, until a toothpick comes out just barely clean. Cool the torte in the pan on a wire rack. Don't worry if it falls a little in the center of the cake. It is all part of the torte! I use this little lip on the cake top for whipping cream and other decoration. If you like, you can always put this side down and have the flat side up. 
  
• If you choose to assemble the following day (this will keep a day at room temperature if not assembled), simply cool completely in the pan, then cover with foil. If you wish to assemble the same day, cool in pan for 15-20 minutes, then remove the springform ring and turn out onto a cake plate, then loosen the parchment and pull off. Next, turn the cake over onto another cake plate to have the original side up. You can also freeze the torte for several weeks.
  

Glaze

• Melt butter, chocolate and heavy cream in a small bowl for 25 seconds in the microwave. Stir until smooth. Add espresso or cognac, and vanilla.