Chocolate cloud cake - 8/04/12
Chocolate cloud cake is a flourless chocolate cake that has an intense chocolate taste but is so light and so airy!
Incorporating the whipped egg whites into the batter yield a cake texture that is so light. The cake has a dark flourless chocolate base, the sort that has cracks and sinks after cooling and a sunken center that is filled with softly whipped cream and sprinkled with shaved chocolate. Simply to die for!
Because it is a flourless cake it came out with lots of cracks but I like it because it looks rustic and very interesting.
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This cake is all about the chocolate so use only the best quality and you will get an excellent taste.
The cake is not overly sweet and it goes perfectly with a hot cup of coffee! So good.
Preparation work..
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For the cake 8 ounces bittersweet chocolate 1/2 cup unsalted butter (1 stick) 1cup granulated sugar 6 large eggs: 2 whole , 4 separated 2 tablespoons Grand Marnier 1 orange zest (optional) |
For the cream topping 1 1/2 cups heavy cream, well chilled 3 tablespoons confectioners' sugar 1 teaspoon vanilla extract Unsweetened cocoa powder, or chocolate shaving.
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Melt the chocolate in a double boiler or in a bowl set over hot water. |
Remove from heat and whisk in the butter until melted. Set aside. |
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In a bowl, whisk in 2 whole eggs and the 4 egg yolks with 1/2 cup of the sugar just until blended. |
Whisk in the warm chocolate mixture. |
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Whisk in the Grand Marnier and the orange zest (optional). Set aside. |
IN a separate bowl with an electric mixer, beat the 4 egg whites until foamy. |
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Gradually add the remaining 1/2 cup sugar. |
Beat until the whites form soft mounds that hold their shape but are not quite stiff. |
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Stir about 1/4 of the beaten whites into the chocolate mixture to lighten it. |
Gently fold in the remaining whites. |
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Line the bottom of an 8 inch spring form pan with a piece of parchment paper. Do not butter the pan. Pour the batter into the pan and smooth the top. |
Pre-Heat over at 350 degrees and bake for about 35 to 40 minutes or until the center is not longer wobbly. |
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Freshly out of the oven... |
Let the cake cool down in the pan on a wire rack. The cake will sink as it cools, forming a crater wit high sides. |
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To make the whipped cream. In a large bowl pour the whipped cream and add the confectioners' sugar. Beat until stiff. |
At serving time, spread the whipped cream in the center of the cake and carefully fill the crater of the cake with the whipped cream. you can dust the cake with cocoa powder of you can shave some chocolate on top of the whipped cream |
Filed as: Cake/cookies, Chocolate
