12
Sep
- Rustic Cracked French Chocolate Cake -
Cake can’t get any easier. This recipe is adapted from one Laura Calder shared on “French Food At Home.” Four simple ingredients (chocolate, butter, eggs, sugar) give this cake a great rustic look and taste. I added a little vanilla and salt to intensify the chocolate flavor. A couple tablespoons of strong coffee would also augment the chocolate flavor a whole lot. No flour here. Egg whites give all the volume you need. Check out Laura’s recipe here.
- 2 bars 60% Ghirardelli chocolate (16 ounces) (chopped)
- 1 stick plus 5 T unsalted butter
- 1/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 4 large eggs (separated)
- 1 cup of sugar
- dash of table salt (I find kosher salt too strong for desserts)
Step 1. Preheat oven to 375. Spray a round spring-foam pan with cooking spray and place parchment paper round at bottom. Spray again.
Step 2. Prepare a double boiler over a pot filled with a small amount of water. Do not allow the double boiler to touch the water at all. Add butter and chocolate and melt together. With a spoon make sure to incorporate everything together. Once melted remove from heat and set aside. If you have no double boiler, melt the chocolate and butter using 20 seconds intervals in a microwave until melted and combined. Add salt and vanilla to chocolate mixture and combine.
Step 3. In a large bowl combine egg yolks and half cup of sugar. Whisk for five minutes until mixture is a pale yellow. Fold in chocolate mixture to egg yolk mixture working quickly. Make sure the chocolate is not so hot that it could cause the yolks to curd.
Step 4. In a medium bowl beat egg whites with remaining half cup of sugar until soft peaks are formed. In three batches fold in egg whites into chocolate, yolk mixture. Don’t over mix. Just gently fold incorporating air bubbles as you go. Pour batter into pan. Place pan on top of a cookie sheet just in case any spillage occurs. Bake for 50 minutes on center rack. Remove from oven and allow to cool for 20 minutes. Top with powdered sugar and fresh whipped cream. Enjoy while it lasts!
