We were having friends for dinner and I wanted to make a dessert I had never made them before. I was taking a slight risk in baking a Flourless Chocolate Cake, in so far as if it didn't turn out, I would have to go a Plan B dessert (vanilla ice cream drizzled in Dave's Mocha Coffee syrup, chocolate covered cashews and the remaining 'hidden' holiday caramels). Not that Plan B wouldn't be a nice ending to a meal, but the Flourless Chocolate Cake with vanilla ice cream and a drizzle of Dave's Mocha Coffee syrup would be a great ending to a meal (of course, the chocolate covered cashews and remaining 'hidden' holiday caramels would be out in bowls too).
The Flourless Chocolate Cake did indeed turn out (not that I reallly believed it wouldn't, but it is always possible I will mess up a recipe). This cake was inspired by David Lebovitz's Racines Cake recipe, which is really a recipe for flourless chocolate cake named for the restaurant in Paris where he discovered it. To be more specific, he found the recipe written on the wall of the men's room of the Racines restaurant. You know what they say, 'sometimes you find good things in the most unexpected places'. While I am thankful David Lebovitz wrote down the recipe and shared it in his Ready for Desserts: My Best Recipes cookbook, I am even more thankful for the person who used a bathroom wall to share this incredible recipe.
Unlike some Flourless Chocolate Cake recipes, this cake really is flourless (so if you are looking to make a great cake, that also happens to be Gluten Free, for someone special, this would be the cake). Additionally it is a cake without baking soda or baking powder. All of the leavening comes from the softly whipped egg whites. It is a cake that even in blizzard like weather you most likely have all of the ingredients in your refrigerator and cupboard. But it is a cake giving you the perfect excuse to run to the grocery store to get the vanilla ice cream or to Starbucks for an espresso, which in turn, will have the benefit of giving you a temporary (literally and figuratively) cure for cabin fever. The cake is rich and dense and needs to be served with either whipped cream or ice cream.
In a heat proof bowl set over simmering water, you will combine the chocolate, butter and one Tablespoon of espresso. Now I was half joking about needing to go to Starbucks to make this cake (although don't let me stop you). For recipes calling for espresso I generally always use an instant espresso that I can make at home. It is much quicker than getting the espresso machine out or running out to Starbucks and I think the results are just as good. Once the chocolate is melted, remove from the heat and stir in 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla.
While the chocolate is cooling slightly, the egg yolks and only 1/4 cup of the granulated sugar are beat at medium-high speed until light and creamy. If using a stand mixer, use the whisk attachment. The beaten eggs are folded into the melted chocolate mixture, but wait until after you finish whipping the egg whites as it will give the chocolate a little more time to cool slightly (if you add them too soon you could end up cooking the egg yolks).
The egg whites are whipped first at low speed until they begin to hold their shape. The remaining 2 Tablespoons of sugar are added in and then whipped at high speed until the eggs hold soft peaks.
After putting in a pinch of Kosher salt, the egg yolk mixture is folded first into the melted chocolate mixture. The egg whites are folded in (in two batches). Be careful not overfold the egg whites while trying to ensure no white streaks can be seen.
In a prepared 9 inch springform pan, scrape the batter into the pan and sprinkle with the chopped chocolate espresso beans (or cocoa nibs). Place cake pan into a preheated 350 degree oven and bake for approximately 25 minutes or until the cake looks as though the center is just barely set. I began checking the cake at 20 minutes and removed at 22 minutes.
The baked cake is removed from the oven, placed on a cooling rack and allowed to come to room temperature. Before removing cake from pan, run a knife around the sides of the pan to loosen it. Transfer the cake to the platter or cake stand of your choice. I waited several hours before removing the cake from the pan as I wanted to be sure it would transfer without incident. After the cake came out of the oven, I really, really didn't want to go to Plan B. And I knew I didn't have to. I could have sprinkled the cake with confectionary sugar but I didn't want the finished dessert to remind anyone at the table of all of the snow outside. Okay maybe I am the only one who would links confectionary sugar to snow.
This single layer cake only needs to be cut into small wedges as it is both rich and dense. While it is delicious all on its' own, vanilla ice cream (now that I am back in the midwest Ben and Jerry's vanilla is the vanilla ice cream of choice) is the perfect accompaniment. Or you can also serve with freshly whipped cream. Final reminder: The cake is best served the day it is made. Suggest refrigerating any leftovers as they will take on a fudgy-like texture when chilled.
Recipe
Flourless Chocolate Cake (an ever so slight adaption to David Lebovitz's Racines Cake recipe)
Ingredients
10 ounces bittersweet (60% cocoa) or semi-sweet chocolate chips (if using a solid bar of chocolate, cut into small pieces)
1/2 cup unsalted butter, cut into pieces
1 Tablespoon freshly brewed espresso
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
pinch of Kosher salt
6 large eggs, separated, at room temperature
1/4 cup (or 50 g) plus 2 Tablespoons granulated sugar
2 Tablespoons of chocolate espresso beans or cocoa nibs (chopped)
Optional: Confectionary sugar
Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Prepare a nine inch springform pan (lined with parchment paper and sprayed with oil or buttered).
2. Over simmering water place chocolate, butter and espresso in a heat proof bowl. Stir occasionally until chocolate has melted. Remove from heat and add vanilla. Set aside.
3. Using a whisk attachment, beat egg yolks and 1/4 cup of granulated sugar until mixture is light and creamy.
4. Beat the egg whites with 1/4 cup of granulated sugar until soft peaks form.
5. Fold in egg yolk mixture and a pinch of Kosher salt to chocolate mixture.
6. In two batches, fold in egg whites until no streaks remain. Be careful not to overfold.
7. Pour mixture into prepared springform pan. Top with 2 Tablespoons of chopped chocolate espresso beans or chocolate nibs.
8. Bake for approximately 25 minutes or until the center is almost set. (Begin checking at 20 minutes).
9. Place on cooling rack and allow to come to room temperature.
10. Run knife around edge of pan before removing cake from pan.
11. Transfer cake to cake stand or platter to serve.
12. Optional: Sprinkle cake with confectionary sugar before serving.
I thought I would have wanted to write endlessly today but the freezing weather seems to have caused a temporary 'brain freeze'. Or maybe I am still recovering from the insanity that ensues when one loses their phone for 12 hours. Well it wasn't actually lost, it was 'misplaced' and I couldn't remember where I had 'misplaced' it (when the alarm on the phone went off at 6 a.m. I discovered (whew) it had been in my bathrobe pocket). Our reliance on cellphones has almost gotten to a point where temporarily losing one is almost akin to an 'alert the media' incident.
Cellphones are what I would call the double-edged sword communication device. They can keep you connected (in real time) but they also can be the thing that causes a disconnect (like when one constantly looks at their phone or texts during a meeting or a meal). Some leadership teams have rules where phones are not checked during a meeting (in emergencies the office phone number is viewed as the Plan B number to call). From years of experience, there have been only a handful of times when a Plan B phone call actually came in.
When dining with our niece and nephew we have a rule 'the first one that looks at their cellphone pays for the meal'. Being college kids this has been enough to keep them away from their phones (which I know for them isn't an easy thing to do). I love that can they endure this temporary 'hardship'. Because the time we have with them is so limited, it feels good (or actually it feels like what normal should feel like) when everyone is 'fully' engaged at the table. I know I am getting old because I can remember when there were no cellphones or the need for any rules or bribes to make those we were with feel like they mattered. Being 'fully' engaged was just the way it was (unless of course you intentionally decided to check out). If cellphones are here to stay (and in some form they will be), wouldn't it be nice if being 'fully' engaged with members of your team or your dining companion(s) wasn't one of the things that got 'lost'. Oh, even though it is getting colder outside, the temporary 'brain' freeze didn't last long.
