Chocolatissimo!{5}
I’ve been noticing the increasing trend towards gluten-free products, especially dessert. While I have often found it difficult to create a gluten-free product that actually looks and tastes like its flour based relative, this recipe will please ALL chocolate lovers- gluten-free or not.
Although this isn’t the easiest recipe in the world, the outcome is WELL worth the effort. The final product is a rich, yet light, chocolate mousse type cake that melts in your mouth and leaves you seriously considering a second piece. Or a third… but who’s counting?
Chocolatissimo (Gluten-free chocolate cake)
Makes 1 – 9” cake
Ingredients:
8 oz. semisweet chocolate
2 Tbl. Liquid coffee
2 oz. butter
½ C sugar
6 oz. butter, room temperature
8 Eggs, separated
1/3 C. sugar
¼ tsp. cream of tartar.
1. Pre-heat oven to 350. Grease the bottom of a 9” springform pan. Sprinkle with cocoa just to coat and set aside.
2. Melt the chocolate, coffee and 2 oz. of the butter over a hot water bath. Stir together, set aside to cool for 5 minutes.
3. Cream together the remaining butter and ½ C sugar until light and fluffy. Add the chocolate mixture, blend well.
4. Add the yolks, 2 at a time, blending well and scraping the bowl between additions. Beat for a total of 7 to 8 minutes.
5. In a clean bowl, whip the whites until they begin to foam. Add the cream of tartar, then begin adding the 1/3 C sugar gradually, 1 Tbl. At a time. Whip to medium peaks.
6. Fold the whipped egg whites into the chocolate mixture.
7. Pour a little over half of the batter into the prepared pan. Spread the batter to level it. Refrigerate the remaining batter.
8. Bake for 35 – 45 minutes until firm. The cake will rise up, then crack. When done, the cake will feel firm when jiggled.
9. Cool to room temp. The cake will sink in the center. Gently push the crust down. Spread the remaining batter on top. Refrigerate at least 4 hours before unmolding.
10. Unmold the cake, garnish with whipped cream and chocolate shavings. This cake freezes well.
I have loved baking and cooking since I was a child. I studied foods and nutrition in college, but my secret desire was to own my own restaurant. Participation in a culinary program landed me jobs in several upscale restaurants, where I discovered my passion for baking and pastries. In 1981 I opened my bakery, Tarts and Truffles, in Sacramento, CA. Realizing a need for trained, knowledgeable bakers, I began teaching baking classes in the culinary arts program at American River College in 1990. I hope you will find my interest in high quality baking reflected in every product we sell.
Vicki K
Nov 17, 2010 @ 11:15:44
Both my sister and niece are gluten intolerant and both love chocolate, so I shared this with both of them. My sister wondered how safe it was to eat a cake that was composed of uncooked batter, especially since that batter contains eggs. Could there be an instruction missing? She also mentioned that her oven doesn’t go up to 3,500 degrees – she thinks she’s so funny….
Gloria
Jan 03, 2011 @ 18:42:09
So happy to find you have a blog. I will be trying this cake one day, and I don’t even need to eat gluten-free! I also hope to purchase one of your masterpieces from your online bake shop one day!
Best regards,
Gloria
Judy
Jan 03, 2011 @ 20:01:40
Hi Vicki,
Thanks for catching my mistake. Indeed the cake is cooked for 40-45 minutes at 350 not 3500 degrees. The concern you raise over uncooked eggs is a good one. In my bakery, we use pasteurized eggs to ensure that there is no chance of salmonella. Although we take this precaution, the chances of having contaminated eggs is unlikely as long as you buy them fresh and use them promptly. Thanks for the question!
Chef Stephen
Feb 14, 2011 @ 08:28:34
In my restaurant back in the 80′s we made this dessert but we baked the whole batter. After removing from the oven we cooled the cake and then made egg free chocolate mousse and spread that over the cake. Then we froze the cake and when frozen cut into rectangular serving pieces and dipped the cake into ganache. This was served with creme anglaise, a dollop of whipping cream and fresh raspberries.
Paula Millers
Jul 10, 2011 @ 09:54:23
Hi, I am a big fan of choc cake! This post is great, I never do bakery like this but I’d love to eat