A sinful flourless chocolate cake. This is the ultimate flourless chocolate cake; dense, but moist; rich with deep dark chocolate, but slightly sweet. This is an easy chocolate cake recipe to fall back on for last minute dessert ideas and it is gluten free.
The February 2009 challenge is hosted by Wendy of WMPE’s blog and Dharm of Dad ~ Baker & Chef and they picked a Chocolate Valentino cake by Chef Wan and a Vanilla Ice Cream recipe from Dharm and a Vanilla Ice Cream recipe from Wendy as the challenge. The DB challenge rules were that we were suppose to make the cake, serve it with an ice cream or we could use another sauce of choice.
When I read about this challenge I knew that I would be able to come with at least three reasons to make this sinful cake, 1) my friend Evelyn’s birthday, 2) Valentine’s Day, or 3) my birthday. Guess what? I did not use any of those reasons to make it. I waited until the perfect rainy day last weekend and made it for no reason at all except pure indulgence!
Since we were going all out with sin for this dessert we used a pound of bittersweet Scharffen Berger Chocolate, if one is going to be bad, then one may as well be bad. The recipe is so simple. You melt butter with chocolate and then fold in yolks and whites that have been beaten stiff. I thought it was going to turn out souffle like, but it did not. It was dense but moist and so incredibly rich.
When I first read the recipe I had all sorts of plans for what kind of ice cream to serve with this cake, Vanilla Bean, Burnt Caramel or Cardamon. Then I switched to thoughts of sweet raspberries, which in turn went to sugary fruit sauces. The end result was a slightly sweet sauce I made out of some Marion Blackberries that I found in the frozen section of the market. They were so sweet that they really did not need any sugar and they went nicely with the ultra dark chocolate.
I loved this recipe and can definitely see it being a fall back on recipe. Especially for those last minute desserts as the ingredient list includes everything that is a staple in our house. Be sure to check out all of the other decadent Daring Bakers challenges today.
Recipe
Chocolate Valentino
Preparation Time: 20 minutes
16 ounces (1 pound) (454 grams) of semisweet chocolate, roughly chopped
½ cup (1 stick) plus 2 tablespoons (146 grams total) of unsalted butter
5 large eggs separated
Put chocolate and butter in a heatproof bowl and set over a pan of simmering water (the bottom of the bowl should not touch the water) and melt, stirring often.
While your chocolate butter mixture is cooling. Butter your pan and line with a parchment circle then butter the parchment.
Separate the egg yolks from the egg whites and put into two medium/large bowls.
Whip the egg whites in a medium/large grease free bowl until stiff peaks are formed (do not over-whip or the cake will be dry).
With the same beater beat the egg yolks together.
Add the egg yolks to the cooled chocolate.
Fold in 1/3 of the egg whites into the chocolate mixture and follow with remaining 2/3rds. Fold until no white remains without deflating the batter. {link of folding demonstration}
Bake for 25 minutes until an instant read thermometer reads 140F/60C.
Note – If you do not have an instant read thermometer, the top of the cake will look similar to a brownie and a cake tester will appear wet.
Cool cake on a rack for 10 minutes then unmold.
). Great idea to serve it with blackberry sauce!
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