Dense and fudgy.
Some winters seem to last forever, and this is one of them. We made it through January, which was cold, dark, and snowy, and now we’re stuck in February, which is also cold, dark, and snowy. I don’t know about you, but with each day feeling gloomier than the last, I’ve been desperate for something—anything—to brighten things up.
So I made Dark Chocolate Souffle Cake.
Dark, rich, and oh-so-fudgy, this flourless cake is the perfect antidote to the gloomiest winter day. It’s simple but beautiful in flavor and appearance, with a gorgeous crackly top and a bittersweet truffle-like center that manages to be both incredibly rich and incredibly light all at the same time. A bite of this fudgy cake is creamy, decadent, and utterly delicious on its own. Add a dollop of whipped cream and a scoop of tangy glazed cherries, and it’s pure heaven.
This chocolate souffle cake is so gorgeous that it might appear challenging to make, but it’s actually surprisingly simple. The six-ingredient batter comes together in fewer than ten minutes, and once it’s out of the oven, you don’t even need to bother with frosting: the cake’s crowning beauty comes from the way it falls as it cools, creating that gorgeous sunken center with the crisp, cracked top. You can fill that hollow with whipped cream if you choose, or you can just as easily finish it with a dusting of powdered sugar. Either look will be stunning.
In months like these, smack in the middle of the cold and almost 12 months into a global pandemic, it’s important to be kind to ourselves in whatever way we can. For me, that meant eating this chocolate cake for breakfast. I encourage you to do the same😊
Enjoy!
Dark Chocolate Souffle Cake
Serves 8
For the cake:
170 grams butter, cubed (6 oz, 12 tbsp)
225 grams dark chocolate, broken into small pieces (8 oz)
¼ tsp salt
2 tbsp instant coffee or espresso powder, optional
5 eggs, separated, at room temperature
190 grams sugar (scant 1 cup)
For the whipped cream:
1 cup heavy whipping cream, chilled
2 tbsp powdered sugar (or to taste)
For the cherries:
1 lb fresh or frozen cherries, pitted and halved, divided
3 tbsp sugar
½ tsp cornstarch
4 tbsp water, plus a little extra
½ lemon, juice only
Special equipment: stand mixer (preferred) or electric hand blender, parchment paper.
Method
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Butter a 9-inch springform pan. Line the bottom with a circle of parchment paper and the sides with strips.
Fill a small pot with water and bring to a boil; drop water to a simmer and set a bowl over top to make a double boiler (the simmering water should NOT touch the bottom of the bowl). Add butter and dark chocolate to the bowl and heat, stirring, until melted. Stir in salt and espresso powder (if desired), then remove from the heat and let cool.
In a large bowl (preferably the bowl of a stand mixer with the whisk attachment), whisk egg yolks and 95 grams sugar until pale and fluffy (you should be able to draw a figure 8 with the batter). Transfer whisked egg yolk mixture to another large bowl and fold in the slightly cooled chocolate mixture, using a rubber spatula and a figure-8 motion. Stop before fully incorporated: the mixture should be still look marbled.
Clean the stand mixer bowl and the whisk and dry completely, making sure both are completely clean of fat. Whip egg whites in the clean bowl at medium speed until frothy. Increase the speed to medium high and sprinkle in remaining sugar gradually. Continue to whisk until medium peaks form and the egg white meringue is about the same consistency as the marbled chocolate mixture. Don’t overwhip!
Fold a third of the egg white meringue into the chocolate mixture until almost incorporated, then fold in the rest. Pour gently into the prepared pan.
Bake until the cake has cracked around the edges but still jiggles in the middle, about 35-40 minutes. Don’t overbake! Cool completely in the pan, allowing the top to crack and cave in and the middle to set.
For the whipped cream:
In a medium mixing, whip chilled heavy cream until light and fluffy. Fold in powdered sugar with a spatula. Serve with cake immediately.
For the cherries:
Place half the cherries in a sauce pot with the sugar and 4 tbsp water. Cook over medium heat until the cherries start to break down and the mixture boils.
In a small container, whisk cornstarch together with ½ tsp cold water, until dissolved. Whisk this slurry into the boiling compote and boil until the mixture thickens into a glaze, about 5 more minutes.
Stir in the rest of the cherries and cook until they softened and glazed in the cherry sauce, about 2 minutes more. Remove from heat and cool.
To serve:
When the cake is completely cool, remove the pan sides and slide onto the serving platter. Serve with whipped cream and cherry compote.
Originally posted on February 13, 2021.
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