This is probably the first time I’ve kept up with baking my challenge. (you’re probably looking up at the date and thinking, yea right! but read on!). I love the rush that comes with baking last minute. But this time I was going to be in Atlanta for my cousin’s wedding, so I baked the flourless cake well in advance. I thought I’d write up the post while on the plane, but ran out of power. I thought I’d do it while at my cousin’s place, but their modem broke. So yesterday I made a quick photo post thanks to an unsecured network connection in the neighbourbood!
Till date my favourite challenge has been the Danish braid. I *loved* everything about it! But with this Daring Bakers’ challenge I’ve discovered my favourite dessert. I can’t begin to describe how much I enjoyed this. Three quality ingredients gave some astounding results. I didn’t even give the OH as much as I usually do! I used a mixture of chocolates; one of them had nibs and I loved the nutty texture it gave to the silky smooth chocolate cake. Thanks Dharm and Wendy for this wonderful, wonderful challenge!
I made a strawberry yoghurt to serve with the cake, but photographing it was such a task! Either the city it too hot, or I’m just too slow in photographing it!
Chocolate Valentino
Preparation Time: 20 minutes
Recipe Source: Chef Wan
16 oz. / 454g fine chocolate ( I used a combination of Ghirardelli bittersweet 60% cacao, Ghirardelli milk chocolate and Scharffen Berger 62% cacao semisweet nibby bar)
½ cup (1 stick) plus 2 tablespoons (146 grams total) of unsalted butter
5 large eggs separated
For the ganache:
Melted chocolate + butter + cream. I just went with the flow and mixed till I got a thick and creamy consistency.
- Put chocolate and butter in a heatproof bowl and set over a pan of simmering water (the bottom of the bowl should not touch the water) and melt, stirring often.
- While your chocolate butter mixture is cooling. Butter your pan and line with a parchment circle then butter the parchment.
- Separate the egg yolks from the egg whites and put into two medium/large bowls.
- Whip the egg whites in a medium/large grease free bowl until stiff peaks are formed (do not over-whip or the cake will be dry).
- With the same beater beat the egg yolks together.
- Add the egg yolks to the cooled chocolate.
- Fold in 1/3 of the egg whites into the chocolate mixture and follow with remaining 2/3rds. Fold until no white remains without deflating the batter. {link of folding demonstration}
- Pour batter into prepared pan, the batter should fill the pan 3/4 of the way full, and bake at 375F/190C
- Bake for 25 minutes until an instant read thermometer reads 140F/60C.
- Note – If you do not have an instant read thermometer, the top of the cake will look similar to a brownie and a cake tester will appear wet.
- Cool cake on a rack for 10 minutes then un-mold.
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Blog checking information:
The February 2009 challenge is hosted by Wendy of WMPE’s blog and Dharm of Dad ~ Baker & Chef. We have chosen a Chocolate Valentino cake by Chef Wan; a Vanilla Ice Cream recipe from Dharm and a Vanilla Ice Cream recipe from Wendy as the challenge.
Blog checking information:
The February 2009 challenge is hosted by Wendy of WMPE’s blog and Dharm of Dad ~ Baker & Chef. We have chosen a Chocolate Valentino cake by Chef Wan; a Vanilla Ice Cream recipe from Dharm and a Vanilla Ice Cream recipe from Wendy as the challenge.