I'm finally back updating my blog! At last I'm here to break the deafening silence with a new recipe! Hooray! *throws confetti*
Doesn't it look good?!
Before I dive into this extremely delicious recipe for flourless chocolate cake, I feel that I must say this first: happy new year! Yes, I know it is already April and a good quarter (almost a third, actually) of the year has passed, so it might be too late for me to offer my well wishes for the new year. However, having not said a word on this space at all for 2019 so far, I thought wishing all of you a happy 2019 was mandatory and the least I could do. So greetings to you in this new year, everyone! I hope all of you have been having a good year so far. And if it has been less than ideal for you, don't lose heart and keep pressing on; things will get better!
For me, 2019 started less than ideally. In fact, I began the year celebrating my birthday with a terrible cold. I remember feeling a hint of physical fatigue on New Year's Eve – the kind of feeling you would get when you are on the verge of sickness but not quite. At turn of the new year, my cold and sore throat worsened and peaked on my birthday. On top of that, I still had to work. Thankfully, despite my weakened state, I was still able to celebrate my birthday and spend time with loved ones. Eventually, as the weeks passed, my cold subsided, and life went on as usual. The busyness of everyday swept me along. Soon, before I had even begun to realise it, March had come and gone without me breathing a single word on this blog!
So here is my resolution, and you are my witnesses: I am going to commit to updating this space at least once a month. That's right. Once a month. I foresee it to be quite a tall order I have set for myself, considering my commitments, and I do so with full knowledge of the fact that I will be busy. But this blog is something I have chosen to create and to bring (back) to life. It is something I have chosen to invest time and my creative energies into. Furthermore, baking and photography are the things that I really love to do and am committed to keep doing, learning and sharing. So once a month it is. It will be tough at times but it definitely is doable. Yeah! I can do this!
Anyway, let's get back to talking about cake. Specifically, let's talk about this cake. This flourless chocolate cake. Regardless of how your year has been so far, how busy or not busy you are, or whether you even like cake, this flourless chocolate cake is really good. Prior to last Sunday, I had never even tried making nor eaten flourless chocolate cake before (I mean, how is that even possible for someone like me who claims to like cake, right?!) and the first thing I thought to myself as I was making this was, "Why did I not try this sooner?"
This cake manages to be both fudgy and slightly fluffy at the same time – it's like a fudgy brownie, except that it also melts in your mouth. It is insanely rich, bursting with an intense dark chocolate flavour. It also has a hint of coffee as I added a little bit of instant espresso powder. Personally, I feel that a little bit of coffee goes a long way in elevating the flavours of chocolate. However if you don't like the taste of coffee or can't take coffee, feel free to omit it.
You know what the best part is? This cake contains very simple ingredients that you would probably have at home already. Eggs, sugar, butter, dark chocolate. Really, that's all it takes to make this cake. Just a note on chocolate, though: be sure to use the highest quality chocolate possible. I used 70% Callebaut callets. The reason for using the best chocolate you can get your hands on is because chocolate is the star in this cake; it is the main flavour. Skimping on the quality of the chocolate would drastically alter the final product. So be sure to get a good quality dark chocolate (at least 70% cocoa).
Sometimes, you can have your cake and eat it. You have to make this! If you do, let me know how it is. I assure you that you would love it.
Flourless Chocolate Cake
Serves 12 (or less – I mean, you could just eat it on your own)
Ingredients
300 g dark chocolate, chopped (at least 70% cocoa)
145 g (1/2 cup + 2 Tbs) unsalted butter, cubed
1/2 tsp instant espresso powder (optional)
1 tsp vanilla extract (optional, but recommended)
40 g (1/3 cup) cocoa powder
1/2 tsp fine sea salt
8 medium eggs, separated
200 g (3/4 cup + 2 Tbs) caster sugar
Extra cocoa powder and blackberries, for garnishing
Method
Preheat the oven to 180 ºC and line a 9-inch springform pan with parchment paper.
In a large heat-proof bowl set over a pot of simmering water, melt the dark chocolate, unsalted butter, instant espresso powder and salt together until smooth. Set it aside and allow it to cool slightly.
Stir in half of the sugar.
Add the 8 egg yolks to the cooled chocolate mixture and whisk to combine. Then, stir in vanilla extract.
Sift in the cocoa powder and mix until well-combined. The mixture might become a bit grainy but that's normal.
Using a hand mixer or stand mixer, whisk the egg whites in a large clean bowl until they begin to foam.
Add the remaining sugar gradually, bit by bit, whisking at the same time. What you are doing is making a meringue*. Whisk until the meringue forms almost stiff peaks.
Gently fold in one-third of the meringue until incorporated with the chocolate mixture. This is to loosen up the chocolate mixture.
Fold in the remaining meringue. Do so gently as you do not want to knock out too much air. The air that you have created by whisking the egg whites is crucial in allowing this cake to rise as this cake does not use any other leavening agents.
Transfer the batter into the lined springform pan. Smooth out the top of the batter.
Bake at 180 ºC for 30 to 35 minutes or until risen. To check for done-ness, insert a skewer or toothpick into the middle of the cake. There should still be some moist crumbs and half-baked batter on the skewer. Do not over-bake the cake as it will continue to cook as it cools and would become dry if over-baked.
Allow to cool in the springform pan for 5 to 10 minutes before removing it from the pan to cool completely. The cake might sink a little in the middle as it cools (although mine didn't sink much). This is normal.
To serve, dust the cake with cocoa powder and decorate with blackberries (or any other garnishes that you like, such as ice cream, vanilla greek yogurt, whipped cream, etc). Enjoy!
*Note: When making meringue, ensure that the bowl you use is completely clean and free of any grease or oil. There should also not be a trace of egg yolk in the egg whites. Any form of fat will prevent the meringue from forming.