Tag Archives: flourless chocolate cake

ZESTY FLOURLESS CHOCOLATE CAKE

Posted in Desserts, Sweets by

VALENTINE’S DAY IS COMING UP!

Flourless Chocolate Cake is one of our favorite desserts. Creamy, chocolate-y, sweet, intense, decadent but not too much. Not until I took it to a new level, that is. First, I added orange zest to the batter. Not a lot, but enough to give the cake a brighter flavor. Chocolate and orange is another one of those culinary matches made in heaven, if you ask me. This cake proves it.  But what really took care of decadence was adding a ganache on top, and then shaving Valrhona chocolate all over. OMG, this was stupendously good.

flourlesschoccake

 

ZESTY FLOURLESS CHOCOLATE CAKE
(adapted from this recipe)

7 oz extra bittersweet chocolate
14 Tbs unsalted butter  (1 + 3/4 sticks)
5 large eggs, separated
1 Tbs vanilla extract
3/4 cup granulated sugar
zest of half a large orange
pinch of salt
2 Tbs unsweetened cocoa powder
for the ganache:
1 cup heavy whipping cream
8 ounces semi-sweet chocolate, cut in small pieces
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

Shaved chocolate to taste for final decoration

Heat the oven to 350F. Grease a 10-inch springform pan.

In a small bowl, sift the sugar and combine it with the orange zest. Rub the zest with your fingers to release the oils into the sugar. Reserve.

Combine the chocolate and butter in a double boiler over simmering water, heating until fully melted and smooth.  Transfer to a bowl, let it cool slightly for a few minutes, and whisk in the egg yolks and vanilla.  Add the sugar/orange mixture,  salt, and cocoa powder, while constantly stirring.

Whip the egg whites to soft peaks.  Gently mix about one-third of them into the chocolate mixture, fold the remaining whites trying to deflate them as little as possible. Pour the mixture into the prepared springform pan.  Place in the lower rack of the oven and bake for 25-28 minutes.

Remove the cake to a rack and immediately loosen the sides of the pan. Allow the cake to cool before icing. If the cake is too uneven, shave the protruding parts with a serrated knife to even out the surface, but no need to make it perfectly flat. Usually the edges will be a bit too high, with a collapsed center.

Make the ganache by heating the whipping cream in a small saucepan until bubbles appear along the sides. Place the chocolate in a small bowl, and add the hot whipping cream and the vanilla on top. Mix gently until the chocolate is fully incorporated, very smooth. Let it cool for 10 minutes, then pour over the cool cake. I like to do that by placing the cake back in the springform pan, so that the icing is contained. Refrigerate for a couple of hours. Open the pan and remove the iced cake to a serving platter, leaving it at room temperature for half an hour or so before slicing it (a wet knife is a must).

ENJOY!

to print the recipe, click here

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Comments: I’ve always been partial to a classic flourless cake in which at most a delicate shower of powdered sugar would be added for cosmetic reasons. The surface of a flourless cake tends to be a bit cracked and uneven, as the cake puffs up in the oven, but then collapses in all its fugdy glory.  A dollop of whipped cream would show up in real special situations. But those who follow my blog might remember that my husband firmly believes that a cake is not a cake without frosting. Or icing. Or whatever indulgent concoction is added on top of it. Powdered sugar would not suffice. I made this cake the day before we would be hosting a reception at home, and Phil started his Movement For Frosting right away. I caved. Made a simple ganache and poured all over it early next morning. Then shaved some Valrhona chocolate on top. Decadent? Perhaps. But I tell you, this was one awesome cake.  Try it, serve it for your friends, sit back and wait for the compliments. Once they stop moaning, that is…

I apologize for not sharing a picture of the sliced cake, but I do not like to take pictures when we are having a get-together. Just imagine a very dense, moist, perfect slice, that when you cut with your fork, will leave a nice coating of slightly melted chocolate on its tines. You then use your lips – with as much elegance as humanly possible –  to clean the fork, and repeat the process. Ad libitum.

flourless-chocolate-cake-from-bewitching-kitchen

Have I mentioned that Valentine’s Day is coming up?
(wink, wink)

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ONE YEAR AGO: Maple Pumpkin Pecan Snacking Cake

TWO YEARS AGO: Silky Gingered Zucchini Soup

THREE YEARS AGO: Sweet Fifteen!

FOUR YEARS AGO: Sesame and Flaxseed Sourdough

FIVE YEARS AGO: Green Beans with Miso and Almonds

SIX YEARS AGO: Saturday Morning Scones

SEVEN YEARS AGO: White Bread

 

CHOCOLATE INTENSITY

Posted in Desserts, Sweets by

Last week we hosted a reception at our home, but the guest of honor had a serious gluten allergy, so I chose a flourless chocolate cake as the dessert.  I’ve made this type of cake several other times, but on this occasion I went with a new recipe whose name I couldn’t resist:  Chocolate Intensity Cake.  Nothing beats that! The cake bakes in a water bath to ensure its fudgy texture, and then it gets smothered in chocolate ganache, as a double dose of goodness.  If you’re a cake-pro,  go for a completely smooth icing and perhaps some decoration with ganache on top. I went with swirls, for reasons that I won’t discuss in public.

CHOCOLATE INTENSITY CAKE
(from The Cake Book, by Tish Boyle)

for the cake                                                                              
8 ounces 62% bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped
1 + ½ cups (3 sticks) unsalted butter
1 cup granulated sugar
½ cup strong brewed coffee
6 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
⅛ teaspoon salt

for the glaze
6 ounces  bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped
⅔ cup heavy cream
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Heat the oven to 350F. Grease the bottom and sides of a 9-inch springform cake pan.

Place chopped chocolate in a large bow and set aside. Place the butter, sugar, and coffee in a medium saucepan and cook over medium high heat, stirring occasionally until the butter is melted and the mixture begins to boil. Pour the hot butter mixture over the chopped chocolate, let it sit undisturbed for one minute, then whisk until the chocolate is fully melted and smooth.

In another bowl, whisk the eggs until completely blended.  Add the vanilla extract and salt, mix again.  Pour a small amount of the hot chocolate mixture into the eggs, whisk gently, and add all the egg mixture into the bowl with the hot chocolate.

Pour the batter into the springform pan.  Wrap the outside with three layers of aluminum foil, place it inside a large roasting pan and pour enough hot water to come halfway up the sides of the cake pan  Bake cake in the water bath for 35 to 45 minutes, until the center is still a bit shiny but almost set  Carefully transfer the cake pan to wire rack and let the cake cool for 20 minutes. Run a thin bladed paring knife around the edge of the pan to loosen the cake, open the springform, and place the cake over a plate still on the bottom of the pan.  Refrigerate for at least  2 hours before adding the glaze.

Make the glaze by adding the chopped chocolate in a bowl. Heat the cream almost to a boil in a small saucepan.  Remove from the heat and pour over the chocolate. Stir until completely smooth, add the vanilla, and stir again.  Let it sit for 5 minutes at room temperature, then slowly pour the glaze over the chocolate cake, starting from the center. Smooth the surface and sides with an offset spatula.   Refrigerate the cake, and bring to room temperature for 1 hour before slicing it.

ENJOY!

to print the recipe, click here

I was nervous about serving this cake at the reception, because I hadn’t yet tested the recipe.  So, I stressed over the baking time, stressed over glazing, stressed over when to remove it from the fridge, and if that wasn’t enough, I  stressed about how to serve it without completely butchering the slices. That last part was easy, I handed the knife to my beloved husband.  😉

To my relief, the compliments kept coming, two guests said it was THE BEST cake they had ever had, and they were using all caps for the statement.  Two commented on the pleasant “smokiness,” wondering where that could be  coming from, and indeed, it was the coffee singing in the background.  Coffee and chocolate, hand in hand, a perfect match.

I must say that this cake was awesome.  The ganache becomes a single entity with the cake, making a velvety, smooth texture.  A tiny slice will be enough because it’s so rich, but the intense chocolate flavor will linger in your mind, and you may find yourself reaching for a second slice, just to make sure you weren’t dreaming!

ONE YEAR AGO:  Semolina Barbecue Buns

TWO YEARS AGO: Lavash Crackers

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FLOURLESS CHOCOLATE CAKE

Posted in Desserts, Sweets by

For someone who doesn’t much care for desserts, I’ve posted quite a few lately. Probably part of it was the holidays that just kept on coming: Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year’s Eve, with Valentine’s Day around the corner.    All of these special occasions call for a sweet closure, often with chocolate written all over it. 😉

To get in this proper dessert spirit, I’ll share my favorite recipe for  flourless chocolate cake.  Even someone as cake-challenged  as myself can make this scrumptious dessert, as I have since I saw it on “Taste”, with David Rosengarten (back when the FoodTV Network was worth watching).  I didn’t miss many of David’s shows, that I taped on my old VCR, and still have the box of those tapes.  VCRs are a thing of the past, but one day I’ll digitize those shows on DVDs (…one happy day… right after I organize my recipes in beautiful, indexed folders).

David Rosengarten’s flourless chocolate cake is special.  I mean, who doesn’t like a pony?  Even if you’re not a chocoholic, this dessert might be for you, but if you love chocolate, then don’t let this recipe pass you by.  It’s dreamy with a little whipped cream on the side, that slightly mellows its potent chocolate kick.   Please, use the best chocolate that you can find, because here quality makes a difference:  the chocolate is all that you will taste.

FLOURLESS CHOCOLATE CAKE
(from David Rosengarten show Taste)

7 oz extra bittersweet chocolate
14 Tbs unsalted butter  (1 + 3/4 sticks)
5 large eggs, separated
1 Tbs vanilla extract
3/4 cup granulated sugar
pinch of salt
2 Tbs unsweetened cocoa powder

Heat the oven to 350F. Grease a 10-inch springform pan.

Combine the chocolate and butter in a double boiler over simmering water, heating until fully melted and smooth.  Transfer to a bowl, let it cool slightly for a few minutes, and whisk in the egg yolks and vanilla.  Sift in the sugar, salt, and cocoa powder, while constantly stirring.

Whip the egg whites to soft peaks.  Gently mix about one third of them into the chocolate mixture, fold the remaining whites trying to deflate them as little as possible. Pour the mixture into the prepared springform pan.  Place in the lower rack of the oven and bake for 25-28 minutes.

Remove the cake to a rack and immediately loosen the sides of the pan. Allow the cake to cool before serving.

ENJOY!

to print the recipe, click here




Comments: Some people, including my husband, can’t conceive of a cake without icing (irony of all ironies, he married the “Anti-Cake”).  Yet, this cake won his heart (though he  insists it will still improve with a thin chocolate glaze).  Years ago I baked it in a heart-shaped pan for our Valentine’s dinner.  OK, it was a little  cheesy,  but it doesn’t hurt to travel that route every once in a while…  😉

David’s original recipe instructed to press the cake down with a plate or other appropriate flat object right after removing the ring, to compress it and release a bit of the air produced by the whipped egg whites.   In his opinion, the cake is all about a fudgy, dense, chocolaty texture.  I’ve tried it both ways, and prefer to skip the compression, allowing it to naturally cool and deflate.

For the fans of his show, those who certainly still remember his closing line….

” Life is a matter of taste.” (David Rosengarten)

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