It collasped ... & cracked !!!

This chocolate cake recipe is something I photocopied from a food magazine (if I remembered correctly) 'thousand years ago' & didn't had the chance to try. It's interesting to know that while I'm usually so afraid of seeing my cakes sink/crack (so does my heart), this recipe actually states that if the cake collaspe in the center & cracked, it means the baking is successful. I'm confused (-.-?) & I wondered "So what can get worse? That it doesn't sink & cracked?" With that, I tried.

It's a rather dense chocolate cake as it uses quite a lot of chocolate, cocoa powder. butter with NO flour. Though the end result is supposed to collaspe & crack, it still calls for careful mixing to work the egg white mixture into the batter (rather ironic, don't you think). And while it was baking in the oven, it rises nicely just like any other chocolate cake & I was thinking "oh no ..." but the moment it was done & took out of the oven to cool, IT happened.

See the crack here? And there?

It was like a slow motion movie but it happened. I watched with excitement as the center start to sink slowly ... the sides start developing cracks as the center pulls away & collaspe. Hoo-ray !!! (^o^)

It was a success.

The taste? Ummm simply irresistible. A really dense & moist texture with a rich chocolatey taste. I would suggest using really good chocolate here & if you have a sweeter tooth than me, you can use milk chocolate (I prefer dark chocolate) as the cocoa powder will also add a hint of bitterness.

Served plain w/ strawberries


Or dusted w/ icing sugar & vanilla ice-cream


Now you see it ... next you don't!


For those who loves chocolate &/or rich, dense cake, I would highly recommend this ... and it's best eaten with vanilla ice cream or berries to complement & balance out the sweet yet bitter chocolate taste. I'm pretty sure your family & friends will be so impressed if you serve this dessert that they'll lick their plates clean.

Hahaha ... I did. Clean, isn't it?



Gateau Au Chocolat (Chocolate Cake)
Ingredients (Yields 1 24-cm or 9" round cake)

123g chocolate converture buttons (I used dark chocolate)
123g butter, cut into cubes
36g cocoa powder, sifted
4 eggs
138g caster sugar
icing powder, ice-cream, berries to serve (optional; own choice)

Method

1. Preheat oven to 160degC. Line the baking pan with parchment paper. Separate the egg yolks & the egg white.
2. Add the yolks & 1/2 amount of the sugar in a clean, dry mixing bowl. Beat at high speed till the mixture is thick & fluffy and turns pale yellow in colour.
3. Place the chocolate converture & butter in a clean, dry metal bowl. Using the double boiler method, melt the chocolate & butter over a pot of simmering water till well combined.
4. Add the chocolate mixture into the egg yolk batter from step 2. Mix well.
5. Whisk the egg whites in a clean, dry mixing bowl using an electric whisk till it's foamy. Add in the remaining 1/2 amount of sugar slowly bit by bit, beat at medium-high speed till stiff peaks form.
6. Fold the egg white icing into the batter from step 4, gently in 2 -3 separate additions. Do not overmix as this will cause the air bubbles to burst.
7. Lastly, add in the sifted cocoa powder & mix till well blended. Bake at 160degC for approx. 40 mins or until a skewer inserted in the center comes out clean.
8. Leave the cake to cool in the pan. If the center collaspe with some cracks, this means the baking is succesful.
9. Dust with some icing sugar, served with vanilla ice-cream & strawberries, as desired.

Recipe from: Unknown source

Baking 101 - When melting chocolate converture over a pot of simmering water (double boiler method), make sure the bowl does not touch the water. Do not overheat as this will cause the oil to separate (油水分离) & affect the texture of the chocolate.