This came from the fabulous folks of Cooks Illustrated, and I made this as a handfasting cake for a couple of dear friends. It is SERIOUSLY chocolatey. I mean ... for real. I used REALLY good chocolate (that's imperative - don't bother if you're not going to do that.) I also used fresh eggs, which probably helped some, but organic eggs from the store would be great too.
I also halved the recipe and did it in a 6" pan because it was just for the two of them (and then they brought bits back for other partners.) This made it a much thicker/taller cake, too.
I also used organic butter.
Serves 12 to 16. Published March 1, 1998. Just three ingredients--whipped whole eggs, a good-quality semisweet chocolate, and butter--will yield dense, rich texture and true chocolate flavor. The Problem
While all flourless chocolate cake recipes share common ingredients, the techniques used to make them vary, as do the results. You can end up with anything from a fudge brownie to a bittersweet chocolate soufflé. The Goal
We wanted something dense, moist, and ultra-chocolatey, but with some textural finesse. We wanted a texture somewhere between a substantial marquise au chocolat--that dense, buttery, and just slightly aerated chocolate mousse with a characteristic dry but creamy texture--and a heavy New York-style cheesecake, which requires the mouth to work for just a second before the stuff melts and dissolves with sublime flavor. We wanted a flourless cake that tasted of pure chocolate, with a rich, velvety texture. The Solution
Beat whole eggs into a foam, and gently fold in bittersweet or semisweet chocolate and strong coffee or liqueur. Bake in a water bath at a low temperature, and remove the cake from the oven when it reaches 140 degrees.
Even though the cake may not look done, pull it from the oven when an instant-read thermometer registers 140 degrees. (Make sure not to let tip of thermometer hit the bottom of the pan.) It will continue to firm up as it cools. If you use a 9-inch springform pan instead of the preferred 8-inch, reduce the baking time to 18 to 20 minutes.
Ingredients 8 large eggs , cold 1 pound bittersweet chocolate or semisweet chocolate, coarsely chopped 1/2 pound unsalted butter (2 sticks), cut into 1/2-inch chunks 1/4 cup strong coffee or liqueur (optional) (I didn't do this) confectioners' sugar or cocoa powder for decoration (I did a different decoration, but this would have been perfect, too)
Instructions
1.
1. Adjust oven rack to lower middle position and heat oven to 325 degrees. Line bottom of 8-inch springform pan with parchment and grease pan sides. Cover pan underneath and along sides with sheet of heavy-duty foil and set in large roasting pan. Bring kettle of water to boil.
2.
2. Beat eggs with hand-held mixer at high speed until volume doubles to approximately 1 quart, about 5 minutes. Alternately, beat in bowl of electric mixer fitted with wire whip attachment at medium speed (speed 6 on a KitchenAid) to achieve same result, about 5 minutes. 3.
3. Meanwhile, melt chocolate and butter (adding coffee or liqueur, if using) in large heat-proof bowl set over pan of almost simmering water, until smooth and very warm (about 115 degrees on an instant-read thermometer), stirring once or twice. (For the microwave, melt chocolate and butter together at 50 percent power until smooth and warm, 4 to 6 minutes, stirring once or twice.) Fold 1/3 of egg foam into chocolate mixture using large rubber spatula until only a few streaks of egg are visible; fold in half of remaining foam, then last of remaining foam, until mixture is totally homogenous.
4.
4. Scrape batter into prepared springform pan and smooth surface with rubber spatula. Set roasting pan on oven rack and pour enough boiling water to come about halfway up side of springform pan. Bake until cake has risen slightly, edges are just beginning to set, a thin glazed crust (like a brownie) has formed on surface, and an instant read thermometer inserted halfway through center of cake registers 140 degrees, 22 to 25 minutes. Remove cake pan from water bath and set on wire rack; cool to room temperature. Cover and refrigerate overnight to mellow (can be covered and refrigerated for up to 4 days). 5.
5. About 30 minutes before serving, remove springform pan sides, invert cake on sheet of waxed paper, peel off parchment pan liner, and turn cake right side up on serving platter. Sieve light sprinkling of Confectioners’ sugar or unsweetened cocoa powder over cake to decorate, if desired.
(as it happens, this is awfully close to rose levy beranbaum's chocolate oblivion truffle torte, from "the cake bible" -- which would have been my entry. the one change i can think of off-hand is that she has you beat the yolks and white separately, the yolks in a bowl set over a pan of boiling water so that they warm up slightly during the beating (i think this gives them more volume).)
I also halved the recipe and did it in a 6" pan because it was just for the two of them (and then they brought bits back for other partners.) This made it a much thicker/taller cake, too.
I also used organic butter.
Serves 12 to 16. Published March 1, 1998.
Just three ingredients--whipped whole eggs, a good-quality semisweet chocolate, and butter--will yield dense, rich texture and true chocolate flavor.
The Problem
While all flourless chocolate cake recipes share common ingredients, the techniques used to make them vary, as do the results. You can end up with anything from a fudge brownie to a bittersweet chocolate soufflé.
The Goal
We wanted something dense, moist, and ultra-chocolatey, but with some textural finesse. We wanted a texture somewhere between a substantial marquise au chocolat--that dense, buttery, and just slightly aerated chocolate mousse with a characteristic dry but creamy texture--and a heavy New York-style cheesecake, which requires the mouth to work for just a second before the stuff melts and dissolves with sublime flavor. We wanted a flourless cake that tasted of pure chocolate, with a rich, velvety texture.
The Solution
Beat whole eggs into a foam, and gently fold in bittersweet or semisweet chocolate and strong coffee or liqueur. Bake in a water bath at a low temperature, and remove the cake from the oven when it reaches 140 degrees.
(continued next comment - sheesh!)
Reply
Even though the cake may not look done, pull it from the oven when an instant-read thermometer registers 140 degrees. (Make sure not to let tip of thermometer hit the bottom of the pan.) It will continue to firm up as it cools. If you use a 9-inch springform pan instead of the preferred 8-inch, reduce the baking time to 18 to 20 minutes.
Ingredients
8 large eggs , cold
1 pound bittersweet chocolate or semisweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
1/2 pound unsalted butter (2 sticks), cut into 1/2-inch chunks
1/4 cup strong coffee or liqueur (optional) (I didn't do this)
confectioners' sugar or cocoa powder for decoration (I did a different decoration, but this would have been perfect, too)
Instructions
1.
1. Adjust oven rack to lower middle position and heat oven to 325 degrees. Line bottom of 8-inch springform pan with parchment and grease pan sides. Cover pan underneath and along sides with sheet of heavy-duty foil and set in large roasting pan. Bring kettle of water to boil.
2.
2. Beat eggs with hand-held mixer at high speed until volume doubles to approximately 1 quart, about 5 minutes. Alternately, beat in bowl of electric mixer fitted with wire whip attachment at medium speed (speed 6 on a KitchenAid) to achieve same result, about 5 minutes.
3.
3. Meanwhile, melt chocolate and butter (adding coffee or liqueur, if using) in large heat-proof bowl set over pan of almost simmering water, until smooth and very warm (about 115 degrees on an instant-read thermometer), stirring once or twice. (For the microwave, melt chocolate and butter together at 50 percent power until smooth and warm, 4 to 6 minutes, stirring once or twice.) Fold 1/3 of egg foam into chocolate mixture using large rubber spatula until only a few streaks of egg are visible; fold in half of remaining foam, then last of remaining foam, until mixture is totally homogenous.
4.
4. Scrape batter into prepared springform pan and smooth surface with rubber spatula. Set roasting pan on oven rack and pour enough boiling water to come about halfway up side of springform pan. Bake until cake has risen slightly, edges are just beginning to set, a thin glazed crust (like a brownie) has formed on surface, and an instant read thermometer inserted halfway through center of cake registers 140 degrees, 22 to 25 minutes. Remove cake pan from water bath and set on wire rack; cool to room temperature. Cover and refrigerate overnight to mellow (can be covered and refrigerated for up to 4 days).
5.
5. About 30 minutes before serving, remove springform pan sides, invert cake on sheet of waxed paper, peel off parchment pan liner, and turn cake right side up on serving platter. Sieve light sprinkling of Confectioners’ sugar or unsweetened cocoa powder over cake to decorate, if desired.
Reply
(as it happens, this is awfully close to rose levy beranbaum's chocolate oblivion truffle torte, from "the cake bible" -- which would have been my entry. the one change i can think of off-hand is that she has you beat the yolks and white separately, the yolks in a bowl set over a pan of boiling water so that they warm up slightly during the beating (i think this gives them more volume).)
Reply
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