Double Down Flourless Chocolate Cake
Like many of my recipes, this is an oldy but goodie and the attribution for the original flourless chocolate cake recipe is lost. I did embellish the recipe by adding the ganache icing to the cake to make a double hit of chocolate.
This cake is extremely sweet and so for a topping you need to have a "less" sweet object, such as unsweetened whipped cream, or crème fraîche, to complement it.
It does take time to do this recipe. If you don't intend on icing you can serve the cake warm. However it really needs to firm up for 12 - 24 hours in the refrigerator before you can move it without breaking to do the icing and is best served chilled.
In the original recipe it called for a 1# block of chocolate- which today is quite expensive so I substituted semi sweet chocolate chips for both the cake and ganache and it came out just fine, and at about 1/3 the cost
Directions
- Preheat oven to 350º.
- Butter the bottom and sides of a 9' springform pan.
- Line the bottom of the pan with a circle of parchment paper and lightly butter the top of the paper.
- In a sauce pan over low heat warm the chocolate, milk and cream stirring until the chocolate is melted and combined with the milk and cream.
- Transfer the chocolate to a mixing bowl beating on low speed until well blended and smooth.
- Now add 2 yolks and ½ cup of butter continue to beat at low speed until the eggs and butter are just blended.
- Add the remaining yolks and butter in 3 additions beating until just blended after each addition.
- Once all the eggs and butter are combined in the batter add the rum salt and vanilla.
- Pour mixture into the prepared springform pan and bake in the lower third of the oven for about 30 minutes until a toothpick comes out of the center almost clean.
- Once done remove to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Remove the sides from the springform pan and place in the refrigerator covered for 12 - 24 hours.
- When well chilled invert onto a a piece of wax paper.
- remove the parchment from the bottom of the cake.
- Now invert onto a serving plate.
- Serve chilled or prepare to glaze.
- Directions for the Ganache Place the chips in a bowl.
- In a 2qt sauce pan bring the cream up to a boil, keeping a constant watch over it.
- Once it reaches the boiling stage remove from heat (if allowed to boil constantly it will spill over and create quite a mess).
- Pour the hot cream over the chips and let stand for about 1½ - 2 minutes.
- Begin then to carefully stir the mixture until all the chocolate is melted with no lumps and the cream is fully incorporated.
- Allow to sit and cool slightly.
- To prepare the cake take 2' deep strips of wax paper and carefully place under the edges of the cake.
- Pour the ganache into the center of the cake and with a spatula push the excess over the sides.
- Once the icing is hardened remove the wax paper.
- Allow to cool completely then refrigerate until ready to serve.