This is my favorite type of cake. Something about it.... just is absolutely wonderful. It literally melts in your mouth, and is so great with ice cream... and even better with just whipped cream. If I ever get desserts at a restaurant, I usually get this... even if I've stuffed myself until capacity... I still save room, for this amazing cake. : ) Sure cupcakes are wonderful, as are cookies, pastries, and breads... but just something about the airiness, spongy texture makes me wanting more and more and more... I think I see a trend in the types of desserts I like. I love things that have whipped egg whites. I'm in love in macarons, sponge cake, and also flourless chocolate cake....isn't that strange?
This recipe was from a cookbook by Williams Sonoma. Each week I'm going to borrow a cookbook from the library and attempt one recipe. This was it. I followed everything as instructed (I rarely do that!.) I didn't skimp on the sugar or chocolate, which is definitely a first for me. I knew this dessert had to be sweet, but it's not terribly sweet. It only has 1/8 cup of sugar, and the rest of the sweetness comes from the semi-sweet chocolate chips.
This cake isn't like the traditional flourless chocolate cakes. It is not really dense. It's more airy and light, more like a sponge cake.. rather than a fudgey brownie. I love the light texture of this cake, that's why I think this recipe so amazing, the cake just MELTS. I think most flourless chocolate cake recipes don't ask for the eggs to be separated, and also usually has the addition of cocoa powder and a lot more butter and eggs. I wouldn't change a thing about this recipe. It is absolutely divine.
This cake was so simple. I never knew how easy it was to make it! A blend of a few basic ingredients, popped it into the oven, and voila... a sunken cake. Don't be fooled by its appearance... besides cheesecakes I'd say it's probably the most decadent type of chocolate cake out there... yumm chocolate!
Looks can be deceiving, a small sliver of this cake is plenty... :)!
Williams Sonoma's Flourless Chocolate Cake
4 oz semi- sweet chocolate chips (use the best quality you can find)
1/4 cup butter, cold, cut into 6 pieces
1/2 tsp instant coffee dissolved in 1 tsp warm water
2 egg yolks
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
2 egg whites
1/8 tsp cream of tartar
1/8 cup white sugar
1. Preheat oven at 375. Over a small pot of simmering water (around 2 cm deep) melt your chocolate and butter in a large bowl that fits over the pot. Stir occasionally until everything is nice and smooth.
2. Dissolve coffee in water, and mix in vanilla and egg yolks until blended.
3. Let the chocolate mixture cool for at least 5 minutes. Add in the egg yolks, and stir until combined.
4. In a separate clean bowl, whip up the egg whites + cream of tartar until soft peaks form, add in the sugar and beat until stiff peaks form.
5. Take 1/3 of the egg whites and fold it into the chocolate mixture. Gently fold in the rest.
6. Spray an 6-8 inch spring form pan or one with a removable bottom with non-stick baking spray. Gently fill pan with batter ( make sure there are no streaks.) Bake for 15-20 minutes, or until it jiggles just slightly went you move the pan. Let cool on a rack. It will collapse and crack.
Not the prettiest cake in the world...kind of even looks like a disaster!
but it's... oh so delicious!
I got carried away... and drizzled some thin consistency white chocolate ganache over it.. messy, but I gobbled it up so it doesn't matter : )
Pictures of all the flourless chocolate cakes I've tried in LA... I am in love with this kind of cake!!!
Sprinkles in Beverly Hills - I waited all year for this cake. It's only available for like 2 weeks a year...once during Passover, and the other was for the holidays (that's new?) I don't remember. But.. when I knew that sprinkles was making these cupcakes again.. I hurried over.. and snagged one. I had it the year before... and was wishing that this flavor would be permanent...but it never was... : / I don't think I'll be able to go out to Sprinkles this year for my yearly flourless cupcake.... sigh.... This actually beats out the mighty Red Velvet.. flavor-wise... even if it looks pretty ugly!
Joan's on Third in LA. Flourless chocolate cake roll... I don't know how they rolled up such a delicate thing... but this was AMAZING... this inspired me to make this cake from scratch. I wanted to make a roll as well, but figured it'd have to be devoured quickly because of the whipped cream.
Mastro's in Beverly Hills - I always save room for this even after eating mostly all of my regular size filet (no petite sizes when it comes to steak for me!) This might be the best flourless chocolate cake (actually I'm not sure if it's flourless...it's called sinful chocolate cake) I've had... and it definitely comes with THE BEST WHIPPED CREAM EVER.... I'd pay 5 dollars for that whipped cream alone... it's that good. I don't know what their secret is.. but WOW.
Edit: What a difference natural lighting can make!.. (see top picture).. I finally whipped up some cream and put a cute piece of mint picked fresh from the garden!
This recipe was from a cookbook by Williams Sonoma. Each week I'm going to borrow a cookbook from the library and attempt one recipe. This was it. I followed everything as instructed (I rarely do that!.) I didn't skimp on the sugar or chocolate, which is definitely a first for me. I knew this dessert had to be sweet, but it's not terribly sweet. It only has 1/8 cup of sugar, and the rest of the sweetness comes from the semi-sweet chocolate chips.
This cake isn't like the traditional flourless chocolate cakes. It is not really dense. It's more airy and light, more like a sponge cake.. rather than a fudgey brownie. I love the light texture of this cake, that's why I think this recipe so amazing, the cake just MELTS. I think most flourless chocolate cake recipes don't ask for the eggs to be separated, and also usually has the addition of cocoa powder and a lot more butter and eggs. I wouldn't change a thing about this recipe. It is absolutely divine.
This cake was so simple. I never knew how easy it was to make it! A blend of a few basic ingredients, popped it into the oven, and voila... a sunken cake. Don't be fooled by its appearance... besides cheesecakes I'd say it's probably the most decadent type of chocolate cake out there... yumm chocolate!
Looks can be deceiving, a small sliver of this cake is plenty... :)!
Williams Sonoma's Flourless Chocolate Cake4 oz semi- sweet chocolate chips (use the best quality you can find)
1/4 cup butter, cold, cut into 6 pieces
1/2 tsp instant coffee dissolved in 1 tsp warm water
2 egg yolks
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
2 egg whites
1/8 tsp cream of tartar
1/8 cup white sugar
1. Preheat oven at 375. Over a small pot of simmering water (around 2 cm deep) melt your chocolate and butter in a large bowl that fits over the pot. Stir occasionally until everything is nice and smooth.
2. Dissolve coffee in water, and mix in vanilla and egg yolks until blended.
3. Let the chocolate mixture cool for at least 5 minutes. Add in the egg yolks, and stir until combined.
4. In a separate clean bowl, whip up the egg whites + cream of tartar until soft peaks form, add in the sugar and beat until stiff peaks form.
5. Take 1/3 of the egg whites and fold it into the chocolate mixture. Gently fold in the rest.
6. Spray an 6-8 inch spring form pan or one with a removable bottom with non-stick baking spray. Gently fill pan with batter ( make sure there are no streaks.) Bake for 15-20 minutes, or until it jiggles just slightly went you move the pan. Let cool on a rack. It will collapse and crack.
Not the prettiest cake in the world...kind of even looks like a disaster!
but it's... oh so delicious!
I got carried away... and drizzled some thin consistency white chocolate ganache over it.. messy, but I gobbled it up so it doesn't matter : )Pictures of all the flourless chocolate cakes I've tried in LA... I am in love with this kind of cake!!!
Sprinkles in Beverly Hills - I waited all year for this cake. It's only available for like 2 weeks a year...once during Passover, and the other was for the holidays (that's new?) I don't remember. But.. when I knew that sprinkles was making these cupcakes again.. I hurried over.. and snagged one. I had it the year before... and was wishing that this flavor would be permanent...but it never was... : / I don't think I'll be able to go out to Sprinkles this year for my yearly flourless cupcake.... sigh.... This actually beats out the mighty Red Velvet.. flavor-wise... even if it looks pretty ugly!
Joan's on Third in LA. Flourless chocolate cake roll... I don't know how they rolled up such a delicate thing... but this was AMAZING... this inspired me to make this cake from scratch. I wanted to make a roll as well, but figured it'd have to be devoured quickly because of the whipped cream.
Mastro's in Beverly Hills - I always save room for this even after eating mostly all of my regular size filet (no petite sizes when it comes to steak for me!) This might be the best flourless chocolate cake (actually I'm not sure if it's flourless...it's called sinful chocolate cake) I've had... and it definitely comes with THE BEST WHIPPED CREAM EVER.... I'd pay 5 dollars for that whipped cream alone... it's that good. I don't know what their secret is.. but WOW.Edit: What a difference natural lighting can make!.. (see top picture).. I finally whipped up some cream and put a cute piece of mint picked fresh from the garden!
I can't agree more. I love Flourless Chocolate Cake, it's such a great dessert. Your food and your photos are fantastic - I found your site while browsing through Allrecipes. I'll be stopping by again in the future. Keep up the good work.
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