CAKE:
16 oz.
Semisweet or Bittersweet Chocolate, cut into pieces or Chocolate Chips
5 oz. Unsalted Butter
5 Large Eggs, Separated
1 Tablespoon Flour
1/4 teaspoon Cream of Tartar
3 Tablespoons Granulated Sugar
SWEETENED WHIP CREAM TOPPING:
4 Cups Heavy Cream whipped together with 3 Tablespoons Sugar until soft
peaks form.
PREPARATION:
Preheat oven to
425 degrees F.Butter a 8 x 2-inch round cake pan and line bottom with a
round of parchment or wax paper.
MAKE BATTER:
Melt chocolate and butter in a
small bowl set over a saucepan of simmering water bath or double boiler
over low heat. Stir until smooth.
Whisk in egg
yolks and flour until well mixed. Set aside.
Beat egg whites
and cream of tarter in a cold, clean dry mixing bowl at medium speed
until soft peeks form. Gradually sprinkle in 3 Tablespoon of sugar,
beating at high speed until stiff but not dry. Mix about 1/4 of egg
mixture into chocolate mixture to lighten it, mix well. Quickly fold in
remaining egg white mixture.
Pour batter
into prepared cake pan.
BAKING:
Bake for exactly 15 minutes (top
will be set, but a tester will not come out clean).
Remove from
oven and cool in pan. Cake will rise somewhat, especially around the
edges. It will appear undercooked, but this is OK! It will shrink and
sink in the center as it cools, do not worry! This perfectly normal. Let
cool completely in the pan on the rack. Run a thin knife around the edge
of cake. Cover and chill completely in the refrigerator.
Run a thin
knife around the edge to release it from the pan. Warm the bottom of the
pan on a stove burner on low heat for just a few seconds, moving the pan
around on the burner; invert on to a plate to unmold. Peel the parchment
liner from the bottom of the cake and invert on serving plate. At this
point, the cake will be higher around the edges than in the center. The
cake can be made up to 4 days in advance. Wrap well and refrigerate
until needed or freeze up to 3 months.
TO SERVE
SIMPLY:
Remove from refrigerator 1 hour
before serving. Cut in wedges and serve with sweetened whip cream and
fresh fruit. Our favorite is raspberries or strawberries! Enjoy!
TO SERVE
MORE FORMALLY:
S
erve
with Fruit Coulis: Puree 1 cup fresh raspberries with 1/2 cup sugar in a
food processor or blender, then force through a fine sieve into a bowl.
Chill until ready to serve.
Or,
Frost with whipped Chocolate Ganache:Ganache: Process in food processor
12 oz good quality chocolate chopped into small pieces. Heat 10 oz.
heavy whipping cream in a small sauce pan just until bubbles form on the
edges. With the motor running pour hot cream into chocolate and process
until smooth. Transfer to bowl and cool until frosting consistency.
Frost with ganache, or put ganache in mixer and beat with a whip
attachment until light and fluffy. Frost and Enjoy!
