Secret to Happiness? Never be afraid to eat more chocolate.
One of our friends was feeling inspired to bake at home and chose our chocolate gateau as her project. Her final pic looked so delicious we just had to share...and thought in case someone else got the itch to take it on, we'd post the recipe as well:
GATEAU FONDANT au CHOCOLAT
(Bittersweet Chocolate Cake)
12 ounces bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped (approximately 2 cups)
4 ounces (1/2 cup) unsalted butter
2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
4 extra-large eggs, separated
2 extra-large egg whites
Pinch of salt
½ cup sugar
½ cup chocolate ganache
Makes one 10-inch cake
1. Preheat the oven to 325. Spray a 10-inch spring form pan with vegetable oil spray and line the bottom with a circle of parchment paper. Set aside.
(Bittersweet Chocolate Cake)
12 ounces bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped (approximately 2 cups)
4 ounces (1/2 cup) unsalted butter
2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
4 extra-large eggs, separated
2 extra-large egg whites
Pinch of salt
½ cup sugar
½ cup chocolate ganache
Makes one 10-inch cake
1. Preheat the oven to 325. Spray a 10-inch spring form pan with vegetable oil spray and line the bottom with a circle of parchment paper. Set aside.
2. In a large, heat-resistant bowl set over a pot of simmering water, melt the chocolate and butter, stirring occasionally. Remove the bowl from the heat and whisk in the cocoa powder. In a small bowl, whisk the egg yolks to break them up, and then whisk into the chocolate mixture. Set aside.
3. In a bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, whip the egg whites and salt on a medium speed until foamy. Increase the speed to high and gradually add the sugar. Continue to whip to medium-firm peaks- the peaks will droop slightly when you lift up the whisk. Stir the egg whites, rather vigorously, into the warm chocolate mixture, until there are no white streaks visible. You need to be gentle, as this cake is best without a lot of air incorporated into it. Transfer the batter to the prepared pan, smooth it out, and pour the ganache on top. Using a spoon, or your fingers, marble the ganache into the batter.
4. Bake in the center of the oven for 35 to 40 minutes or until the center of the cake no longer looks shiny. The cake will be puffed up and wobbly in the center but set on the edges. It’s a soft cake that will firm up as it cools. Cool the cake completely, on a wire rack, before removing the side from the pan.
5. To slice the cake (easiest when it is chilled) , run a long knife under hot water, then wipe it off with a towel, and cut the cake into 12 slices. The cake can be kept 3 days at room temperature or up to 5 days if refrigerated.
from American Boulangerie, Pascal Rigo
