Title: Chocolate Decadence
Categories: Chocolate Dessert
Yield: 10 Servings
| 16 | oz | Semisweet or bittersweet cho |
| 5 | | Large eggs, separated |
| 1/4 | ts | Cream of tartar |
| 4 | c | Heavy cream |
| | | Raspberry sauce |
| | | Orange sauce |
| 5 | oz | Sweet butter |
| 1 | tb | Flour |
| 3 | tb | Sugar (to 4 tbsp) |
| | | One or a pair of the followi |
| | | Sauce bijou (cranberry/raspb |
DIRECTIONS: Preheat oven to 425-F. Line 8x2" round cake pan with
parchment or waxed paper.
Melt the chocolate and butter in a small bowl placed in a barely
simmering water bath over low heat, stirring occasionally until smooth.
Or, microwave on medium (50%) for about 3 minutes and 30 seconds. Stir
until completely melted and smooth. Whisk in egg yolks
and flour. Set aside.
Beat egg whites with cream of tartar in a clean, dry mixing bowl at
medium speed until soft peaks form. Gradually sprinkle in 1 Tbsp sugar,
beating at high speed, until stiff but not dry. Fold about 1/4 of egg
whites into the chocolate mixture to lighten it. Quickly fold in remaining
whites. Turn mixture into prepared pan. Bake for exactly 15 minutes.
Remove from oven and cool in pan. Cake will rise somewhat, especially
around edges, but will still seem undercooked. As it cools, it will sink in
the center. This is correct! Let the dessert cool completely in the pan on
a rack. Cover and chill for several hours in the refrigerator.
Run a knife or small spatula around the edge to release it from pan.
Warm the bottom of the pan on a stove burner on low heat for just a few
seconds; invert it onto a plate to unmold. Peel the parchment liner from
bottom and invert again onto serving plate or corrugated cake circle (if
you plan to frost it with whipped cream). The cake circle will be 1/2"
bigger than the dessert all around. The dessert will be right side up and
higher around the edges than in the middle. It may be made to this point up
to 4 days in advance. Wrap well and refrigerate until needed, or freeze for
up to 3 months.
To Serve Simply: Remove from refrigerator at least one hour in advance.
Cut in wedges and pass lightly sweetened whipped cream and sauces
separately.
To Serve More Formally: Whip cream with remaining 3 Tbsp sugar and
mask cake thickly with about 3/4 of it. (Instructions in back of book
say to use a turntable. Cover cake with whipped cream, smooth top, then
hold spatula at an angle to sides and rotate turntable to smooth.) Scrape
the remaining whipped cream into pastry bag and pipe large rosettes or
swirls around the top edge of the cake.
Source: Cocolat, Extraordinary Chocolate Desserts, by Alice Medrich
(owner of the Cocolat chocolate dessert store chain, California). ISBN #
0-446-51419-5
From: Sallie Krebs (nee Austin), FidoNet Cooking Echo
Courtesy of Shareware RECIPE CLIPPER 1.1