Valerie’s French Chocolate Cake
Cook Time
25 to 30 minutes
Rating
0 out of 5 stars
(0)
Ingredients
8-16 servings
- 9 tablespoons (125 grams) unsalted butter
- 7 ounces (200 grams) bittersweet (70/72 percent) chocolate, chopped
- 3 tablespoons water
- 3/4 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/3 cup (40 grams) all-purpose flour
- 1/3 cup (about 30 grams) dark cocoa powder, sifted if lumpy (Dutched or natural will work here; I use Dutched)
- 4 large eggs, separated
- 1 cup (200 grams) granulated sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract (optional)
- Two pinches sea salt
How would you rate this recipe?
Preparation
Step 1
Heat oven to 350 degrees. Butter a 9-inch round cake pan. Line the bottom of the baking pan with a round of parchment paper.
Step 2
Melt butter in a large saucepan, 3 quarts is a good size. Once melted, remove from heat and stir in chocolate until melted. Once melted, stir in 2 tablespoons water, then baking powder, flour and cocoa until just combined.
Step 3
In a medium bowl, whisk egg yolks with sugar, 1 tablespoon water and vanilla, if using, until pale and no longer lumpy. Stir into chocolate mixture until just combined.
Step 4
In a larger, very clean bowl, beat egg whites and salt until stiff. Gently fold into chocolate mixture until most of the white streaks disappear. Be careful not to deflate the cake.
Step 5
Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out batter-free. Remove from oven and rest on rack for 5 minutes. Run knife along outside cake to make sure it isn’t sticking anywhere, then invert onto another rack, then back onto a cake plate. Eat warm or cold.
Step 6
Cake keeps for several days at room temperature, lightly wrapped.
Step 7
Save recipe for the next time?
Chef's notes
This cake becomes airy and decadent, with a lid you can tap on, thanks to the whipped egg whites.
Valerie uses semisweet chocolate here (55 to 60%), I use bittersweet (70 to 72%). I dropped the flour from 1 cup (125 grams) to 2/3 cup (85 grams) and replaced half with dark cocoa powder. I reduced the baking powder to keep it in line with the new flour level, and dropped the sugar a little too, from 1 1/4 cups (250 grams) to 1 cup (200).
