AuthorCarol RidehalghCategorySliding Stop SweetsDifficultyIntermediateAlthough I have been making this gâteau for as long as I can remember, the credit for the recipe must go to the restaurant Chez Panisse in California. This deliciously rich moist dessert cake is best served simply. In the photo, I have served it with a quenelle of Mascarpone Cream (p.141 of FFF cookbook) and a red fruit coulis. Red fruits/berries and cream also work well.
Preheat the oven to moderate, 175°C / 160°C Fan / Gas 3 or 4 / 340°F.
Weigh the chocolate and butter into a heatproof bowl that sits neatly over a pan, (bain-marie).
Fill the pan 1/3rd full of boiling water, sit the bowl over the pan and put it over low heat.
Meanwhile, prepare a 26cm 'moule à manqué cake tin', (see photo).
Put the cake tin over the parchment paper and using a pencil draw around the base. Cut out the circle with scissors. Rub a film of butter all over the tin then press the parchment paper into the base. Dredge the tin all over with flour. Turn it upside down over the sink and shake out excess flour.
Weigh the flour and the ground almonds into a bowl and put to one side.
Weigh both sugars into a third bowl. Separate the eggs and put the whites into the bowl of a stand mixer with the whisk attachment. Add 1/2 teaspoon of cream of tartar to the whites.
Add the yolks to the sugars and mix until thick and pale, using an electric handheld whisk/or by hand.
When melted, remove the chocolate and butter from the heat, stir then add to the sugar and yolks. Add the flour and ground almonds and stir in.
Add a pinch of salt to the egg whites/cream of tartar and whisk to a soft peak. Use a metal spoon to fold the whites into the chocolate mixture, taking care not to knock out the air.
When all the white is incorporated, pour into the prepared tin and pop into the oven.
Set the timer for 25 minutes.
When the timer goes, remove the cake from the oven and leave to cool in the tin.
Turn the cake out onto a board, remove the parchment paper and dredge the gâteau with cocoa. Carefully transfer to a serving platter.
This cake keeps well for up to a week.
Ingredients
Directions
Preheat the oven to moderate, 175°C / 160°C Fan / Gas 3 or 4 / 340°F.
Weigh the chocolate and butter into a heatproof bowl that sits neatly over a pan, (bain-marie).
Fill the pan 1/3rd full of boiling water, sit the bowl over the pan and put it over low heat.
Meanwhile, prepare a 26cm 'moule à manqué cake tin', (see photo).
Put the cake tin over the parchment paper and using a pencil draw around the base. Cut out the circle with scissors. Rub a film of butter all over the tin then press the parchment paper into the base. Dredge the tin all over with flour. Turn it upside down over the sink and shake out excess flour.
Weigh the flour and the ground almonds into a bowl and put to one side.
Weigh both sugars into a third bowl. Separate the eggs and put the whites into the bowl of a stand mixer with the whisk attachment. Add 1/2 teaspoon of cream of tartar to the whites.
Add the yolks to the sugars and mix until thick and pale, using an electric handheld whisk/or by hand.
When melted, remove the chocolate and butter from the heat, stir then add to the sugar and yolks. Add the flour and ground almonds and stir in.
Add a pinch of salt to the egg whites/cream of tartar and whisk to a soft peak. Use a metal spoon to fold the whites into the chocolate mixture, taking care not to knock out the air.
When all the white is incorporated, pour into the prepared tin and pop into the oven.
Set the timer for 25 minutes.
When the timer goes, remove the cake from the oven and leave to cool in the tin.
Turn the cake out onto a board, remove the parchment paper and dredge the gâteau with cocoa. Carefully transfer to a serving platter.
This cake keeps well for up to a week.