Gateau Chocolat
This cake is actually an updated version of my old post, "Chocolate Cake Dusted with Powdered Sugar". However, I deleted that post. :)
Since homeschooling grade 9 started and I've been busy trying to get a hold of each subject, I haven't really baked these days. It's probably also because after my vacation in Canada with the abundant amount of baking ingredients and tools, I feel dejected to start baking again in my small Turkish microwave oven.
But yesterday night, I was just lying around tired after my stretching exercises and suddenly thought that I just wanted to bake. Not a tart or roll cake or layer cake all iced and dressed up, but something simple where I could just enjoy baking itself. I wanted to swirl smooth, creamy batter, lift the beaters of whipped egg whites and observe the streaked, stiff texture, melt butter, then pop it all in the oven and relax.
Thus I made this chocolate cake, it's relatively simple and does not require icing because of its moist texture. Also, although the cake is small, only 7" in diameter, because there is real, bittersweet chocolate inside it's better to eat it in little slices. No stress was involved in the process and the next morning, my family enjoyed the cake together with coffee. Maybe I should enjoy baking for the sake of enjoying it instead of stressing over how the finished product looks, and how well it is photographed.
Chocolate Cake Dusted with Powdered Sugar (Makes one 7-inch cake)
Ingredients
-120ml heavy cream -70g butter -130g semi-sweet chocolate chips (this time I used 100g semi-sweet chips + 30g milk chocolate) -4 egg yolks -4 egg whites -100g white granulated sugar -40g all-purpose flour -30g cocoa powder -1 tbsp. powdered sugar for dusting
Instructions
1. Carefully separate the eggs into whites and yolks. Make sure none of the yolk gets into the white. Place the egg whites in the fridge.
2. Butter and line an 7-inch springform pan with parchment paper.
3. Sift together cocoa powder and all-purpose flour. Chop the milk chocolate if using.
4. At low heat, heat the heavy cream with the butter in a small saucepan until the butter is fully melted. Add the chocolate chips, wait a bit, then stir until the mixture is smooth and chocolatey.
5. Pour the mixture from step 4 into a medium large bowl and add the egg yolks. Whisk rapidly until fully incorporated.
6. In another bowl, beat the egg whites until foamy. Add half of the sugar and beat until the mixture is opaque. Add the other half of the sugar and beat until soft peaks form.
Preheat your oven at this point to 170 degrees C.
7. Add 1/3 of the egg white meringue into the mixture from step 5. Fold it in rapidly with a spatula until combined. Add the sifted cocoa powder and flour. Fold it in quickly with a spatula until combined.
8. Add half of the left over meringue and fold. Add the other half and fold just until fully incorporated.
9. Pour the batter into your prepared pan.
10. Bake for 40-45 minutes. The top will crack. Check the doneness with a toothpick, it should be moist but not runny.
11. Cool the cake in the oven (the top will sink), then invert cake onto a plate. When it has fully cooled to room temperature, dust it with powdered sugar. Enjoy!
Recipe adapted from a Korean cookbook named 진짜 기본 베이킹 책 by super recipes. http://www.super-recipe.co.kr/etc_06/etc_s4_01.php?inc=view&idx=130&tbname=notice!