Description
This is typical of a French homemade cake – dense, dark, and delicious. It is a European sponge cake, with a different texture than its American counterparts. It is excellent dusted with confectioners’ sugar and served with lightly sweetened whipped cream or a fruit coulis.
Ingredients
- ½ cup white sugar
- 10 (1 ounce) squares semi-sweet chocolate
- ¾ cup unsalted butter, cubed
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 5 eggs, separated
- ¼ cup sifted all-purpose flour
- 1 dash cream of tartar
- salt to taste
- ½ tablespoon confectioners’ sugar, for dusting
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C). Generously grease a 9-inch springform cake tin. Dust with a little sugar
- and tap out the excess.
- Set aside 3 tablespoons of the sugar. Place the chocolate
- butter
- and remaining sugar in a large
- heavy-based pan. Cook over moderate heat until the chocolate and butter have melted
- and the sugar has dissolved. Remove the pan from heat. Stir in the vanilla
- and leave the mixture to cool slightly.
- Beat the egg yolks into the chocolate mixture one at a time
- beating well after each addition. Stir in the flour.
- In a large bowl
- scrupulously clean and grease-free
- beat the egg whites until foamy. Add the cream of tartar and salt
- and beat to stiff peaks. Sprinkle reserved sugar over egg whites
- and beat until stiff and glossy. Use a whisk or spatula to fold 1/3 of the egg whites into the chocolate mixture
- then carefully fold in the remaining whites. Carefully pour batter into the prepared tin
- and tap the tin gently to release air bubbles.
- Bake until well risen and a skewer inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean
- for about 45 minutes to 1 hour. Check the cake after 30 minutes: if the cake appears to rise unevenly
- rotate after 30 to 35 minutes. If the cake starts to crack or become too brown
- place a piece of foil lightly over the top. Transfer the cake to a wire cooling rack
- and remove the sides of the springform tin. Cool completely
- and then remove the base. Do not attempt to remove the cake before it’s completely cooled as this cake is very fragile.
Prep Time: 35 mins
Cook Time: 45 mins
Total Time: 2 hrs 20 mins
Servings: 12