After the disaster of the honey cake and a few others like the over baked chocolate brownies or over filled apple turnovers that burst in the oven I had the chance to return to one of my all time favourite chocolate cakes; the flourless chocolate cake. I was making a cake for a neighbour’s birthday and I could not think of a more popular recipe. A few years ago after collecting numerous amounts of chocolate cake recipes I started to go through the list and bake them for gatherings, some went down rather well and others were a disappointment but the cake that has yet to disappoint anyone that scoffs it, is this one. It’s a dark chocolate cake sandwiched with dark chocolate mousse and then decorate it however you want. You can decorate it very simply with some of the chocolate mousse filling and then chocolate ganache, or just the ganache or in the summer the white chocolate collar looks great against the top covered with the red of fresh raspberries. For special occasions I like to decorate it with white chocolate I like the surprise of the dark chocolate inside and I find white chocolate very easy to work with. This cake freezes incredibly well because it has no flour, it will defrost tasting as the day you made it. For people like me who like to make things in advance when planning parties this suits the bill perfectly, it will also sit happily in the fridge for a couple of days. But I would advise strongly this cake is far too good to wait for the next gathering you have planned and should absolutely be squeezed in in your next free slot.
If you think you don’t like dark chocolate cake forget that preconception notion and go and bake this cake! My suggestion if serving this cake for non-dark choc cake lovers go for chocolate containing 50-55% chocolate solids, it will give you just enough of a chocolate hit to taste of chocolate but will be sweet enough to satisfy those sweet toothed who love their milk chocolate. If I make this cake for a gathering where I’m not sure how people like their chocolate I’ll opt for the 50-55% chocolate solids. The reason this cake is outstanding is in it’s lightness, it tastes very chocolaty but it’s incredibly light because you have no flour but unlike most flourless chocolate cake recipes it’s not dense and rich which can be a bit too sickly. The chocolate cake is essentially a chocolate mousse cooked filled with another chocolate mouse uncooked.
The recipe originally came from the Good Housekeeping magazine back in 1994, I have changed a couple of the ingredients and a slight change to the method. I like to use white chocolate to decorate this cake turning into a special occasion, I have sometimes decorate it with just the white chocolate curls which also makes an impression.
Making Chocolate Curls
Making the white chocolate curls can be a bit of a trial and error session but I have learnt over the years that the most crucial point in getting the larger curls is the temperature of the chocolate when scraping it and the size of the opening of the cheese cutter. In mine I had to just slightly open it further. I find it easier to make chocolate curls in the summer, in a warmer environment than in a cold winter’s day, especially as in this occasion I had spread the chocolate on a cold granite slab which kept the chocolate too cold to curl properly and what you end with is the little shavings you see above. They have their uses for covering the base of the cake and also for putting under the larger chocolate curls. I have tried to curl chocolate using a knife but as yet not succeeded. So far I’ve found pouring the melted chocolate onto a large wooden chopping board easier than using the granite slab when trying to achieve the right temperature to curl the chocolate. Once you’ve poured the melted chocolate on to the board/slab let it set at room temperature, if the chocolate is too cold it will be too brittle to curl. The time it will take to set will all depend on the thickness of the chocolate you’ve poured and the temperature of the room.
You can make the collar once the white chocolate is melted by spreading it over baking parchment or my preferred choice thick foil because any indentations or creases the foil makes when putting it against the cake will show in the white chocolate making appear more fragile and paper like. I’ve gone into detail below.
This recipe is for a 8″ (20 cm) round cake tin, I wanted to make a larger cake and used my 9″ (23 cm) square tin making a slimmer cake and for this reason I made two cakes. The cake will rise in the oven not surprising as it’s the same mixture as a mousse and will sink in the middle and not look promising but it will taste completely opposite to it’s looks!
Making The Flourless Cake
Prepare the tin by lining it with baking parchment.
To make the cake, melt the chocolate and butter over a pan of simmering water not letting the water touch the bowl. If too much steam builds up underneath the bowl I like to lift the bowl and let it escape making certain it will not overheat the chocolate. Once melted remove from heat and let it cool down.
Separate the eggs. Whisk the egg yolks with the sugar until it’s creamy and thick.
I have on many occasions been too eager to add the chocolate to the egg yolks and added too much of the chocolate first of all and the mixture just seizes up and becomes very thick and hard to mix all other ingredients in, not the end of the world but your mixture will not be as smooth or as light as it can be. So add a tablespoon at a time mix well before adding the next tablespoon until about a third of the melted chocolate is mixed in.
At this point after having added about a third of the mixture you can add the rest of the chocolate.
Once all of the chocolate has been added clean your whisks and get them ready to start whisking the egg whites.
Once you have whisked the egg whites to the stiff stage start adding a spoonful at a time to the chocolate mixture, and use a large spoon to fold it in gently so not to knock all of the air out of the egg whites.
Once all of the egg whites have been folded in pour into the prepared tin.
Bake it.
Once the chocolate is out and cooled it will sink in the middle.
Chocolate Mousse to Sandwich the Cake.
Start again by melting the chocolate in the same way as for the cake, and leave it to cool.
Whisk the double cream until it is becoming thick and slightly stiff but not completely stiff, it still feels a bit sloppy.
Separate the eggs, beat the yolks together until they’re well mixed about a minute with a electric whisk. Just like for the cake add a spoonful at a time of the melted chocolate and incorporate it well after every spoonful until a large portion of the chocolate is mixed into the eggs.
Finish adding all of the melted chocolate.
Start to add the lightly whipped double cream a spoonful at a time into the chocolate and egg yolk mixture and folded it in with a large spoon.
Repeat this a couple more times and then you can add the rest of the double cream and continue folding it in with a large spoon.
Once all of the double cream is all folded in you’re ready to whisk the egg whites until they’re stiff just make sure you wash the whisk really well as any grease left will stop the egg whites from whisking properly.
Whisk the egg whites as before and once the egg whites have reached the stiff peak stage start folding it into the chocolate mixture to start with a spoonful at a time.
When all the egg whites are all mixed into the chocolate mixture put it in the fridge for half an hour to an hour set slightly making if easier to sandwich the cake.
Making the Collar for the Cake
If you want to decorate the cake with chocolate collar, you can use either dark or white chocolate for this or a mixture of both in a marble effect which looks very impressive too. Melt the chocolate and measure the size of the cake, I always find it easier to use a string as the measuring tape. Cut your parchment paper or thick foil to fit the size collar you want. On a 8″ (20 cm) cake you will be ok making the collar in one piece, but it is easier to make it in two parts. I would suggest if making a 9″ (23 cm) square tin to make the collar in two parts. Lay the paper/foil collar flat and spread the melted chocolate evenly over it. Make sure the paper/foil collar is on top of a baking sheet or that the collar is somewhere you going to leave it alone to semi set it because it’s a tricky thing to pick up the paper strip with melted chocolate on it, believe me!
The chocolate on the paper/foil needs to set enough so it can stay put once you’ve put it upright against the cake without it running down the paper. You’ll be able to tell by feel, it should look sort of set but if touched it will still be a bit soft and indent, tacky is the word I would use to how it should feel. It’s best to leave it at room temperature and it will take maybe an hour or so depending on time of year and room temperature. I have used the fridge to set the chocolate very quickly but you have to watch this like a hawk because it will go from semi-set to hard-set very quickly and then you can’t bend it against the cake. Safer to have patience and leave to set out of the fridge.
Once you’ve put the chocolate collar against the cake, I would recommend having a second set of hands to push the collar in in the middle while you hold the ends against the cake, it will make your life easier, you can put the cake in the fridge and let the chocolate collar set hard. Once it’s set you can peel away the paper/foil. Do it slowly and with patience, you’re now at the last hurdle it would be a shame to break it, especially if you’ve spread the white chocolate thinly.
If you have the collar in two sections and there’s a slight overlap just pull very gently to ease off the piece of small foil/paper stuck and it will come away.
I used some of the mousse filling to spread a thin coating over the top and sides of the cake but this is not necessary, you can just dust the top of the cake with cocoa powder.
Once you’ve made your first collar of chocolate to decorate a cake you’ll be wanting to do it every time you want to make an impressive dessert. It’s simple once you’ve mastered the temperature the chocolate needs to be at to manipulate it and it’s very addictive because it’s very satisfying and pleasing to see the the look on people’s faces as they’re suitably impressed. I’ve made variations with dark chocolate, collars with a mixture of dark & white in marble affect and the same with the curls. The other way to decorate it would be painting melted chocolate on various shapes of leaves or paper cut outs of your choice.
Flourless Chocolate Cake
Cake tin 8″ (20cm) Pre-heat oven to 180C / 350F / Gas 4
250g / 9oz plain chocolate (50-55% cocoa solids if not wanting too dark otherwise 70%)
5 large eggs, separated
150g / 5oz caster sugar
125g / 4oz butter cut into small bits (if using unsalted add 1/4 teaspoon of salt)
10ml / 2 teaspoons of vanilla extract (not vanilla essence)
30ml / 2 tablespoons of rum or orange flavoured liqueur – optional
To make the cake, melt the chocolate and butter over a pan of simmering water not letting the water touch the bowl. If too much steam builds up underneath the bowl I like to lift the bowl and let it escape making certain it will not overheat the chocolate. Once melted remove from heat and let it cool down.
Whisk the egg yolks with the sugar until it’s creamy and thick, for about a minute with an electric whisk. Add a tablespoon at a time of the cooled melted chocolate to the egg yolks and whisk well before adding the next tablespoon until about a third of the mixture is mixed in. Then you can add the rest of the chocolate and whisk in well. If you want too much of the chocolate mixture at the beginning without tempering the egg yolks first the mixture can seize up on you becoming very thick making harder to mix everything else.
After having whisking about a third of the melted chocolate you can add the rest. Once all of the chocolate has been added clean your whisks and get them ready to start whisking the egg whites.
Whisk the egg whites to the stiff stage and start adding a spoonful at a time to the chocolate mixture, and use a large spoon to fold it in gently so not to knock all of the air out of the egg whites. Pour the mixture into the prepared tin and bake it at 180C / 350F / gas 4 for 35-45 mins until risen. Once the chocolate is out and cooled it will sink in the middle. After 5 mins remove it from tin and let it cool completely on a cooling rack.
Chocolate Mousse for the Cake.
150ml / 5floz double cream
250g / 9oz plain chocolate
4 large eggs separated
Start again by melting the chocolate in the same way as for the cake, and leave it to cool. Whisk the double cream until it is becoming thick and slightly stiff but not completely stiff, it still feels a bit sloppy.
Separate the eggs, beat the yolks together until they’re well mixed about a minute with a electric whisk. Just like for the cake add a spoonful at a time of the melted chocolate and incorporate it well after every spoonful until a large portion of the chocolate is mixed into the eggs. Finish adding all of the melted chocolate.
Start to add the lightly whipped double cream a spoonful at a time into the chocolate and egg yolk mixture and folded it in with a large spoon.
Whisk the egg whites until they have reached the stiff peak stage and then start folding with a large spoon into the chocolate mixture a spoonful at first then add the rest slowly to minimize knocking the air out. When all the egg whites are all mixed into the chocolate mixture put it in the fridge for half an hour to an hour to set slightly making if easier to sandwich the cake.
Once you’re ready to sandwich the cake with the mousse cut the cold cake in half put one half back in the tin pour the mousse into the tin and top it with the second cake. Put it in the fridge to set completely for a few hours.
Chocolate to make the collar
200g / 8 oz of chocolate melted
Chocolate Curls
300g / 11 oz of chocolate melted
You Don’t Have to Half the Cake
This recipe is for 8″ (20cm) round cake tin, and the cake should rise enough to enable you to cut in half to sandwich it together. I have however on occasions not bothered to half it and just simply poured the mousse on top of the cake and decorated.
In my photo I made two cakes in a 9″ (23cm) square tin making the cake shallow and then made the mousse increasing the ingredients slightly, adding an extra egg and increasing the double cream by 2 floz (60 ml / 4 tablespoons), this little extra allowed me to spread a thin layer of the mousse over the top and the sides.
