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This is my first ever Daring Bakers challenge*.  I was very pleased to learn it was a Flourless Chocolate cake.  I had planned on making a molten lava cake when I learned that this months challenge was this cake.  Needless to say I was very pleased!  Now people, I love chocolate…so I was really excited to try this recipe.  My sister and I used to go to Trader Joes and gawk at the flourless chocolate cake but for some reason we just never bought it ( I think we were on a diet).   Eventhough I had a month to make this cake, I had to do it within the first week because I was going on a 2 week caribbean getaway.  This cake is very simple to make and very good.  Its a chocoholic’s fantasy.

I used milk chocolate and spiced it up with a bit of chili powder.    I must say I was pleased with the results.  It was a silky, decadant texture…very moist and rich, I was in heaven!!  It was served with sweetened whipped cream, a simple raspberry sauce and fresh raspberries…a  classic and  perfect combination.  For the raspberry sauce I simply melted raspberry preserves in the microwave.  I allowed it to cool and coated the raspberry with some of the sauce.  Take the extra time to make the whipped cream from scratch, it is so worth it and taste alot better than the canned stuff.  All of you chocoholics out there enjoy…this cake will also be awesome with vanilla ice cream.  This recipe is adapted from Sweet Treats by Chef Wan.

Chocolate Valentino,  Flourless Chocolate Cake

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

1/4 tsp Vanilla extract

1/4 tsp chili powder

1. 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.
2. While your chocolate butter mixture is cooling. Butter your pan and line with a parchment circle then butter the parchment.
3. Separate the egg yolks from the egg whites and put into two medium/large bowls.
4. 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).
5. With the same beater beat the egg yolks together.
6. Add the egg yolks, chili powder and vanilla to the cooled chocolate.
7. 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.
8. Pour batter into prepared pan, the batter should fill the pan 3/4 of the way full, and bake at 375F/190C
9. 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.
10. Cool cake on a rack for 10 minutes then unmold.

Sweetened Whipped Cream

1/2 cup Heavy Cream

1/4 tsp Vanilla extract

4 tsp Confectioners Sugar

Mix all ingredients together and whip to a stiff peak.  Make sure not to over mix!!

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*The February 2009 challenge is hosted by Wendy of WMPE’s blog and Dharm of Dad ~ Baker & Chef.
We have chosen a Chocolate Valentino cake by Chef Wan; a Vanilla Ice Cream recipe from Dharm and a Vanilla Ice Cream recipe from Wendy as the challenge.