Favorite Recipes

Chocolate Decadence

From Williams Sonoma Chocolate (Recipes by Lora Brody)
This is an easy, no-fail recipe for a flourless chocolate cake. This cake is best made two days in advance.

1 pound high-quality bittersweet chocolate, chopped (scant 3 cups)
½ cup plus 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
4 extra-large eggs (or 5 large eggs) at room temperature
1 tablespoon sugar
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1 cup heavy cream, whipped softly

Preheat oven to 425 degrees, and position rack in middle of oven. Butter an 8-inch springform pan.* Line the bottom of the pan with a circle of parchment paper or waxed paper cut to fit precisely. (I trace the pan bottom on paper and cut with scissors.) Butter the paper and dust with cocoa powder (because flour would show white); tap out any excess.Place the chocolate and butter in a large heatproof bowl or the top pan of a double boiler. Set over a pan of gently simmering water, but don’t let the pan touch the water. Stir occasionally until melted and combine completely. Remove from the heat, and let cool slightly. Alternatively, you can do this step in the microwave.Place the eggs and sugar in a bowl. Using a large electric mixer (I use a KitchenAid with the paddle, not the whisk) set on high speed, beat until light, fluffy, and tripled in volume, 5 - 10 minutes. Reduce the speed to low, and beat in the 1 tablespoon of flour. Using a rubber spatula, fold one-third of the egg mixture into the chocolate to lighten it, and then fold in the remaining egg mixture, taking care not to deflate the batter. Pour and scrape batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top.Bake for exactly 15 minutes. Let cool completely to room temperature. Do not refrigerate or the cake will stick to the pan.Cut into small wedges and serve each wedge topped with softly whipped cream. If you want to be truly decadent, and who doesn’t on occasion, also serve with raspberry coulis and crème anglaise on the side. I have never tried baking it in a regular 8-inch cake pan but want to try it because then it could be turned out onto cardboard circles and given away without giving away the bottom of the springform pan or, worse, trying to get it off the bottom of the springform pan.